Visakhapatnam: An ex-serviceman in Vizag fell victim to cyber fraud after scammers exploited his Facebook post seeking development of a vacant plot into a public park.
Background of the Case
Police said the man had earlier approached the GVMC commissioner, requesting that an unused plot—now a dumping yard fostering illegal activities—be developed for public use. With no response from civic authorities, he tagged TDP leaders, including Nara Lokesh and Nara Brahmani, in a Facebook post seeking intervention.
How the Fraud Unfolded
On June 7, he received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller, using the name and display picture of former minister Devineni Uma, claimed to be speaking on behalf of senior political leaders. To gain trust, the fraudster shared screenshots of purported chats with MLAs, GVMC officials, and others, and even made voice and video calls impersonating chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu.
The caller assured resolution of the land issue and related taxes, and later asked the victim to pay a “processing fee.” Trusting the claims, the ex-serviceman transferred ₹80,000 via UPI to an account bearing the name Rathod Santosh.
Aftermath and Investigation
After receiving the money, the accused stopped responding and removed his profile picture. Realising the fraud, the victim approached the cybercrime police, who registered a case and launched an investigation.
Police have urged citizens to verify the identity of unknown callers and not to transfer money based on unverified claims.
