A significant cyber fraud scheme has emerged in Kerala, where scammers are taking advantage of Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s popularity to operate a sophisticated money-making scheme through fake social media accounts. The fraudsters set up a fake Facebook page named “Chief Minister VDS” and started asking followers to pay a monthly subscription fee of Rs 89 to view the Chief Minister’s content. This fraudulent activity has revealed a rising online mafia on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, using the identities of political figures and celebrities to make money from unsuspecting users.
Cyber experts have highlighted concerns over this scam, emphasizing that a search for V.D. Satheesan on Facebook yields multiple accounts, with one page amassing over 5.89 lakh followers drawing particular attention. It is suspected that the individuals managing this page may have already earned substantial amounts through these paid subscriptions. Despite this, the exact number of subscribers remains unknown as the page administrators have intentionally concealed this information.
The subscription model, commonly utilized by celebrities and influencers to provide exclusive content to paying followers, was exploited by the fraudsters to lend an air of legitimacy to the fake page. Responding to this issue, the Chief Minister’s Office has issued an official statement clarifying that only one verified Facebook page exists under the Chief Minister’s name, cautioning the public against fake accounts demanding money. Authorities in the cyber police department are treating this scam seriously, especially due to the impersonation of a constitutional figure. They are collaborating with Meta to identify and shut down these fraudulent pages, while also tracing the financial accounts, payment gateways, and IP addresses associated with the operation.
Given the increasing influence of political leaders on social media, investigators are concerned that similar fraudulent subscription schemes may be thriving across various platforms without detection.
