Bettiah: A fake Facebook account impersonating District Magistrate Dharmendra Kumar has sparked a criminal investigation, as authorities warn of an attempted fraud targeting unsuspecting residents.
The fraudulent profile, active in recent days, used DM’s real name and photograph and sent friend requests to several individuals. The district administration, upon receiving complaints, swiftly alerted the cyber crime police and ordered a full investigation into the matter.
Officials fear that the impersonator may have intended to solicit money or extract sensitive personal information under false pretences. District Magistrate Kumar issued a stern warning, stating that those behind such criminal acts would be prosecuted under the Information Technology Act. “This is a serious offence. No one involved in such fraud will be spared,” he said.
The district’s cyber cell has been tasked with tracing the origins of the fake account and identifying those responsible. Meanwhile, the public has been urged not to accept suspicious friend requests or click on unfamiliar links, and to avoid sharing personal information online. Authorities also appealed for any sightings of similar activity to be reported directly to the administration or the cyber police station. “This is not an isolated incident,” the District Public Relations Office added in a statement. “Across the country, a troubling number of similar scams have emerged, where fraudsters create fake social media profiles of government officials, police officers, and public representatives to mislead or defraud the public.”
Officials reiterated that no formal communication from the District Magistrate or other officers is conducted via platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp. All official updates are issued solely through authorised government channels and websites.
