Scammers Impersonate IAS Officer to Cheat Madhya Pradesh Officials
A disturbing case of cybercrime has surfaced in Madhya Pradesh, where fraudsters have been impersonating Khargone District Collector Bhavya Mittal on WhatsApp to extort money from government officials. The scam is believed to have originated from Vietnam, using a foreign phone number to mislead victims and demand cash transfers.
How the Fraud Was Executed
According to reports, several district officers received WhatsApp messages that appeared to be from Collector Bhavya Mittal. The fraudsters even used her photograph as the profile picture, giving the messages a false sense of authenticity. The impostors then requested urgent money transfers to specific bank accounts, often claiming the payments were needed for official meetings or emergencies.
Further investigation revealed that these deceptive messages were being sent from the Vietnamese number +84339410118, confirming that the operation was part of an organized international cyber scam designed to exploit the Collector’s identity.
Collector Bhavya Mittal’s Swift Response
Upon learning about the scam, Collector Bhavya Mittal immediately alerted Khargone Superintendent of Police Ravindra Verma and instructed all district officials to exercise extreme caution. She confirmed that more than half a dozen officers had already received similar messages.
Mittal urged everyone to block suspicious numbers, refrain from responding to such requests, and verify all financial communications directly through official channels. To prevent further misuse of her identity, the District Public Relations Department publicly shared her official contact number (+91 75879 80900) for verification purposes.
Police Launch Cyber Investigation
Khargone Cyber Cell In-Charge Deepak Talware confirmed that a formal complaint has been registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Investigators are currently tracking the bank details linked to the scam and working to trace the perpetrators behind the Vietnam-based number.
Talware cautioned that cybercriminals are increasingly targeting senior government officials, taking advantage of their public visibility. He advised everyone to verify the sender’s identity before transferring money or responding to any digital communication that appears unusual or urgent.
Official Advisory Issued
In light of the incident, the District Administration and Cyber Cell have issued a public safety advisory with the following key points:
Do not respond to messages or calls from unknown numbers claiming to be government officials. Block and report any suspicious contacts immediately.Verify all urgent financial or personal requests directly with the concerned officer through official means.
This case underscores the growing sophistication of cybercrime and the urgent need for vigilance—especially among public servants and senior officers, who are increasingly being targeted by international fraud networks.
