Ludhiana: Fraudsters impersonating police commissioner message SHO, ask him to send gift cards

Some online fraudsters impersonating a Ludhiana police commissioner allegedly tried to dupe a Station House Officer (SHO) by asking him to buy e-commerce gift cards for them. The police are trying to trace the accused with the help of the cyber crime cell.

The fraudsters sent links to the Tibba police station SHO on his WhatsApp from a number with a profile photo of Ludhiana CP Kaustabh Sharma. After receiving the message, Tibba SHO Inspector Jaswinder Singh informed the CP. Some other police officials also complained about receiving similar messages on WhatsApp.

The inspector said that on October 1 he received a message on his official number from an unidentified number. The person, who identified as the police commissioner, asked him to send him Amazon gift cards, for which he would be reimbursed.

An FIR under sections 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 66 C of the Information and Technology Act was registered at Tibba police station against unidentified persons.