Cybercriminals are increasingly misusing the names and identities of well known public figures to trick people in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. The cases reported over the past three years show how fraudsters are using deepfake videos, forged warrants and impersonation to create fear and urgency.
Recent incidents include deepfake videos of Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy and forged documents carrying the signature of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Fraudsters have also pretended to be well known personalities such as Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal and a national investigation agency chief.
Dr Shivaji Pawar, Deputy Commissioner of Police Crime in Pimpri Chinchwad, said, “These cyber criminals do not just drop famous names… they actually weaponise them.” He explained that by invoking the names of high profile individuals or those who have faced major investigations, scammers create a false sense of legitimacy. This pushes victims into panic and compliance.
Investigations into digital arrest scams and share trading frauds reveal how social engineering continues to be effective. In late October, scammers pretending to be officers of a fake data protection agency cheated a sixty two year old retired officer from Pune of ninety nine lakh rupees. They sent her a forged arrest warrant signed by “Nirmala Sitharaman.”
In another case in July, deepfake videos of Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy were used to promote false AI based stock trading tools. An elderly man from Pune lost forty three lakh rupees. Deepfakes of other well known personalities have also been used to mislead people into trusting fraudulent trading platforms.
A cyber investigator said that many victims lack awareness of how digital systems work or how easily identities can be faked online. In one case, a victim was threatened that he would be arrested in the “Nawab Malik case,” again misusing the name of a well known political figure.
Officials say these scams reveal a sophisticated strategy. Vivek Masal, Deputy Commissioner of Police Economic Offences Wing and Cyber in Pune City, said, “Fraudsters do not merely mimic authority they manufacture an emotional environment in which victims feel cornered, pressured, or privileged.” He added that the aim is to make victims act without verifying the information.
Even educated and tech aware individuals fall prey because fraudsters understand human behaviour deeply. Despite awareness campaigns, many people continue to be targeted. Investigators also warn about whale phishing scams where criminals pretend to be senior company executives to manipulate junior staff.
Experts say building strong digital and cyber literacy from school level is essential so people are better prepared to question and verify information in a world where trust is easily exploited.
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