MEERUT: After news of Pakistani national Seema Haider and Greater Noida resident Sachin Meena started hogging the headlines, cyber thugs have become active in several districts of western UP, including Shamli and Hapur, and are approaching people on social media seeking money on the pretext that Haider and her ill children need treatment.
Police on Monday issued an advisory warning people to stay alert.
Mohd Yunus, a resident of Garh Mukteshwar in Hapur, said he recently received a friend request from a Facebook account in the name of Seema Haider. On accepting it, he got a call seeking financial assistance for supporting Haider and treatment of her ailing children. The accused sought Rs 10, 000. However, Yunus realised that it was a fake call and informed the police.
Stuti Singh, DSP, cyber cell in Hapur, said, "People should not respond to such fake calls, and immediately report such accounts. Such scammers ride on sentiments of the people to dupe them. The general public should remain alert."
A similar incident was reported in Shamli. "I received a friend request from an account with a profile picture of Seema Haider. I accepted the request considering it to be genuine, but soon realised something was wrong as I got a voice message requesting monetary aid citing financial crunch. They did not mention any specific amount," said a resident of Shamli requesting anonymity.
Additional SP, Shamli, OP Singh said, "Though we haven't received any formal complaint in this regard, cybercrime is rampant. People must not accept friend requests from unknown entities. People should remain alert against such fraudsters."
Haider is a native of Sindh province in Pakistan and mother of four who allegedly sneaked into India via Nepal in May this year, and has been staying with Sachin Meena in UP's Greater Noida ever since. Her presence came into the limelight when neighbours alerted the police. Meanwhile, a section of the media also claimed that Seema was an ISI agent and must be deported.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.Sandeep Rai is a veteran journalist with two decades of experienc...
Read MoreSandeep Rai is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in the reporting field. He heads the Western Uttar Pradesh bureau, managing Meerut, Bareilly & Agra circles. His areas of interest are wildlife, politics and special reportage.
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