Scamsters in the digital world have begun using the photos of senior police officers and bureaucrats as the display picture on WhatsApp to target their staff and seek money. In recent cases, fraudsters impersonated Mumbai police chief Vivek Phansalkar and BEST boss Lokesh Chandra to make a quick buck. One scammer even posed as Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray to seek money from a wrestler.

The police have asked the public to stay alert and not fall for such cons. Earlier, the photo of Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar police chief Sadanand Date had been misused to seek money or gift cards from policemen. Several police officers and citizens raised an alarm after they received a WhatsApp message where the sender claimed to be Phansalkar. The number had Phansalkar’s photo as the display pic (DP).