WhatsApp messages asked for online gift cards, CB begins probe
PANAJI
Goa Police’s Crime Branch is investigating a case which involves an attempt to defraud several journalists by impersonating Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai using profile cloning software and tools.
Raj Bhavan officials acknowledged that a fraudulent attempt was made with several journalists getting casual WhatsApp messages allegedly from Pillai’s ‘profile clone’.
A top Raj Bhavan official confirmed that the matter is being investigated by the Crime Branch.
Several journalists on Friday morning received unusually casual messages on WhatsApp from a number which had the profile of Pillai.
The messages claimed that he (the governor) was in an important meeting and will be tied up for the next hour and would want a chore done, which he himself is in no capacity to execute because of the meeting.
The favour sought purchase of 10 ‘Amazon pay
gift cards’.
“There are some listed prospects I am presenting them to today. I can’t get it done myself due to meetings and I don’t have any of my cards with me. How quickly can you arrange these gift cards because I need to send them out in less than an hour. I would provide you with the type of gift cards and the amount of each. I will reimburse you before the end of the day,” was one of the messages the journalists received.
A follow-up message said: “Here are the details: 10 pieces of Amazon pay E gift cards with Rs 10,000 value on each card (Use either the congratulations or thank you theme) Have the link shared here so I can easily forward them directly to prospects. Please notify me once you are done with the purchase as it’s quite urgent. Thanks.”
There has been no instance of any journalist actually following up on the Governor’s alleged profile clone’s requests and getting defrauded but the Raj Bhavan official confirmed that a probe into the serious matter has already been started by the Crime Branch.
