'Impersonating Myself To Me': Paytm Founder Shares Hilarious Exchange With Scamster
Last Updated:
Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma posted WhatsApp messages in which the fraudster introduced himself as "Vijay Shekhar Sharma" and asked him to save his "new phone number"
Titled 'Impersonating myself to me", Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma on Wednesday shared what appeared to be a humorous exchange between him and a scamster, who was allegedly trying to pose as him to extract sensitive information about the company's funds.
In a lengthy note on his X, Sharma posted a chain of WhatsApp messages in which the fraudster introduced himself as 'Vijay Shekhar Sharma" and asked him to save his 'new phone number". The encounter left internet users in splits, but spotlighted that not even those like him are spared when it comes to scamsters using sophisticated manoeuvres, advanced techniques, fake profiles, malicious links and impersonation.
In this case, however, no harm was caused as Sharma took it in his stride and used the situation for comic relief. In one of the messages, the alleged fraudster urged him to check and report back on the company's available funds.
The impersonator also demanded that he share the number and contact details of the finance head of the company, and went so far as to ask him to forward a suspicious .exe file—disguised as a GST document—to the finance executive.
Notably, the Telecom Department on Wednesday introduced the 'Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI)' that enables enhanced intelligence sharing with banks, UPI service providers and financial institutions, a step it believes would mark a major step towards tackling cyber fraud and financial crime.
According to DoT, this will enhance cyber protection and validation checks in case of mobile numbers flagged with this tool, when digital payment is proposed to be made to such numbers.
FRI allows for swift, targeted, and collaborative action against suspected frauds in both telecom and financial domains, an official release said.
'…Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced sharing of 'Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI)' with stakeholders — an output from a multi-dimensional analytical tool developed as part of the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) to empower financial institutions with advance actionable intelligence for cyber fraud prevention," the release added..
It is pertinent to mention that Airtel, earlier this month, launched a fraud detection solution that will identify and block malicious websites across all communication Over-The-Top (OTT) apps and platforms including WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, email, and others in real-time.
The service is currently available in Haryana circle, with a nationwide roll-out planned soon.
First Published:
May 21, 2025, 23:58 IST
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
UP CM directs officials to take action against fake, shell companies
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday directed officials to take action against shell companies to stop the attempts to misuse the facilities meant for genuine traders. While conducting a high-level review of the State Tax Department, the CM directed officials to ensure transparency in tax collection and adopt a policy of technological efficiency and strict enforcement. "Tax evasion is a national crime that negatively impacts development plans and welfare schemes," he said. Stressing that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a consumer-based tax system, he noted that areas with higher population density are naturally expected to generate more tax revenue. He instructed officials to develop special strategies for zones where tax collection is below average. Adityanath directed that information on suspicious firms registered under Central GST (CGST) be shared with the Centre for cancellation of their registration. For firms under State GST (SGST), he ordered in-depth departmental investigations, and if irregularities are found, their registration should be canceled and FIRs lodged. The CM emphasised the need for on-site inspection of all newly registered firms, stating "fake companies should not be allowed to obstruct the rights of honest taxpayers. CM Adityanath said that such acts are an attempt to misuse the facilities meant for genuine traders, which is unforgivable. Such inspections are essential to ensure that genuine businesses can operate fairly and without interference," he said. During the meeting, officials informed the CM that Rs 18,161.59 crore in GST and VAT had been collected during April and May against the financial year 2025-26 target of Rs 1,75,725 crore.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu Surges Union government to simplify rules, regulations for startups
Coimbatore: Simplification of rules and regulations, including those related to GST, licensing and bank loans, is the need of the hour to propel the growth of startups, said Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu here on Saturday. He was speaking at the first demo day organized by the Coimbatore-based startup incubator Aalamaram to celebrate the 23 startups it successfully nurtured and showcase their offerings. Six startups exhibited their products at the event, which saw participation of several startup founders and investors. Speaking after the event, Sridhar Vembu said all the 23 startups should be nurtured in a big way so that billion-dollar enterprises could emerge from them. "Not every startup may be successful. It is not important what percentage of startups succeed. What matters is how many jobs are created through startups," he said. When asked about the kind of support the govt should provide, he said the Union govt had already simplified several procedures to benefit startups. However, further simplification is needed, particularly in GST compliance, licensing and access to bank loans, he said. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "In my opinion, the govt should not fund startups, as it could lead to favouritism and corruption. The startup ecosystem should remain private. The govt's role should be limited to providing easy approvals and relaxed regulations," Sridhar Vembu said.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Facebook friend kills Cong worker, murder unzipped
Rohtak: Police have filed a detailed charge sheet in the murder of Congress worker Himani Narwal, alleging that a man she met on Facebook strangled her after a dispute over Rs 30,000, then dumped her body in a suitcase near a bus stand. The accused, 30-year-old mobile repair technician Sachin from Kherpur village, allegedly killed Himani on Feb 28 at her Rohtak home, pawned her jewellery for Rs 1.87 lakh, and attempted to cover his tracks by impersonating her online, police have claimed. Himani, a prominent face in the Congress party's youth campaigns and a participant in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, reportedly met Sachin nearly a year ago through social media. Their friendship soured when she allegedly asked him for Rs 30,000, a demand he refused. It's written in the charge sheet that Sachin visited Himani's home in Vijay Nagar on the night of Feb 27 and stayed overnight. A heated argument the next evening escalated into violence, with Sachin allegedly strangling her in a fit of rage. After the murder, police say Sachin stripped her of jewellery, took her laptop and scooter, and rode to his shop in Bahadurgarh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo He later returned, stuffed her body in a suitcase and dumped it near the Sampla bus stand. CCTV footage captured him dragging the suitcase through the area. The next day, Sachin allegedly used Himani's mobile phone to send text messages to her mother and updated her WhatsApp status in an attempt to delay suspicion. When arrested, he was in possession of her two Apple mobile phones, both of which had been wiped. Those have since been sent to the forensic science laboratory for data recovery. Call detail records show Himani's phone location was aligned consistently with Sachin's before and after her death, further cementing the timeline. Himani's family had suffered previous tragedies already. Her elder brother was murdered 14 years ago, and her father died by suicide a decade later. Her mother had relocated to Delhi with Himani and her younger brother, Jatin, after those incidents. The accused, who has two children and shops in Kanonda and Delhi's Nangloi, was reportedly living apart from his parents despite being their only son.
