Lucknow News: While social media has become a medium to connect people in the digital age, it is also becoming a big weapon for cyber fraudsters. Cases of new fraud are coming up every day on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram. Especially retired officers and elders are being targeted, who come in confidence and lose huge amount. One such case has come up from Hazratganj in Lucknow, where retired DIG Rakesh Shukla was fought for Rs 1.75 lakh by fake friendship on Facebook. The accused described himself as a retired IAS officer and lured him to sell household goods and grabbed the money through the QR code. Now the police have registered a case and started investigation.
Facebook friend request started cheating
On July 13, Rakesh Shukla received a friend request of a retired IAS officer on Facebook. Being associated with the government department, he immediately accepted the request. After this, on July 14, he received a message from the account which told that a CRPF officer friend is selling household items cheaply.
Fake CRPF officer sent photo, settled deal
Shortly after, a person named Santosh Kumar contacts Rakesh on WhatsApp. He describes himself as Assistant Commandant in CRPF and sends photos of many domestic electronic goods. During the conversation, the deal is fixed at 1.75 lakhs. The accused already keeps the condition of payment and sends the bar code.
Contact closed after payment
Rakesh Shukla, who was confident of the government image of the front, scanned the bar code and transferred Rs 1.75 lakh. But no goods reached till 16 July. When he tried to contact, neither the call arose nor received any response. After this he suspected of cheating.
First cyber cell, then complaint in police station
The victim first complained to the cyber cell, but when no quick action was taken there, he reported at Hazratganj police station on 21 July. According to Inspector Vikram Singh, an FIR has been registered against the accused under the sections of the IT Act and technical evidence is being collected.
