Fake celebrity social media accounts take fans for a ride

Hyderabad: Several instances of fraudsters impersonating celebrities or their managers on social media to lure victims and cheat them have surfaced in the past.
“They build trust with victims. As the victims feel they are speaking to a celebrity, they keep it a secret,” said a senior cyber crime official.
In a recent instance, a 17-year-old was nabbed for creating a fake Facebook account in the name of MP Santhosh Kumar Joginipally.He asked people for money claiming he needed it for his friend’s daughter’s medical treatment. According to cyber crime cops, victims get a friend request from conmen who pretend to be a celebrity and immediately start a conversation. Some lure victims by offering roles in a movie or an opportunity to work with an actor.
“Fraudsters pretend to be either the manager or the celebrity himself. In one instance, a man was caught for impersonating Telugu actor Vijay Devarakonda on social media to befriend lady victims,” added the officer.
Last month, a man was arrested by cyber crime cops for creating fake Facebook accounts pretending to be the manager and co-singer of a Telugu female playback singer. The accused cheated people by collecting huge amounts from the singer’s social media followers. Sometimmes they pretend to be the superstars relatives and cheat fans.