Harrdy Sandhu on busting his fake verified Telegram: Fans were promised personal meetings with me in exchange for money

Hindustan Times

3 hours ago

From impersonation, scams to fake verified accounts, a growing number of celebrities have fallen prey to digital fraud — with fan trust and safety at stake. The latest to join the list is singer-actor Harrdy Sandhu, who found himself and his team being misrepresented online, sparking serious concern over digital accountability. 'They were promised personal meetings with me in exchange for money,' Hardy Sandhu tells us. The singer recently found out that some has been impersonating not only him but his manager Pouja Gandhi online. Singer Harrdy Sandhu
'It began when someone message my manager on Instagram about a fake account claiming to be from my team and inviting fans to a Telegram group for personal access to me,' Harrdy shares. What followed was a flood of DMs from fans who had been approached by these impersonators, some even asked for money in exchange for backstage passes. 'My immediate reaction was shock and concern. These accounts were convincing enough to mislead genuine fans — and that's extremely worrying.'
Harrdy says the situation turned serious when fans and collaborators began interacting with these fake accounts, believing them to be legitimate. 'It was shocking when we came to know about they have been misguiding people and promising them personal meetings with me in exchange for money. That kind of emotional and financial exploitation is completely unacceptable,' says the 38-year-old singer.
The impersonation wasn't limited to just his name. Harrdy reveals that accounts pretending to be his official management were also set up, targeting fans and industry insiders. 'It's disturbing. This isn't just impersonation, it's fraud. People are misusing our identity to manipulate others. It damages the trust we've built with our audience.' Adding to the singer chain of thoughts, his manager, Pouja Gandhi, echoes his concerns.
'It's unfortunate that fake accounts were able to mislead fans by pretending to be part of Harrdy's team — including one on Telegram that was wrongly verified. As part of his management, my priority is to ensure clear communication and safety for everyone engaging with us,' says Pouja, adding, 'We've taken all necessary steps to report the matter with the cyber security cell and just request fans to stay alert and always verify information through Harrdy's official Instagram.'
Despite reporting the matter to Instagram, Telegram, and filing a cyber complaint with detailed evidence, Harrdy says barely any action has been taken. 'The Telegram account is still up — and verified. Instagram fakes keep popping up. The system just doesn't respond fast enough.'
What's even more alarming is the loophole in digital security that allowed a Telegram account to be verified under Harrdy's name without his involvement. 'It clearly shows platforms need stronger identity verification systems. We creators are left to clean up the mess.' Adding to his chain of thoughts, Harrdy tells us, his team have now adopted a more vigilant approach — constantly monitoring platforms and regularly updating fans with official handles. 'We can't leave room for doubt anymore. We tell fans: Don't trust a blue tick blindly. Always check my official Instagram for any updates,' shares the singer, adding, 'I'm truly sorry if anyone felt misled. I've made it clear that my only official manager is Pouja Gandhi, and we've posted that online to avoid confusion.'
'If someone can use a verified artist's name and get verified themselves, that's a massive loophole. Cross-checking and faster takedowns must become the norm,' says Harrdy. The singer signs off with a word of caution and clarity: 'Educate yourself. Always double-check. And know that if something sounds too good to be true — it probably is.'