Mangaluru Parents Targeted in Fake Police Scam, Investigation Underway

Mangaluru: The cybercrime police in Mangaluru have initiated an investigation following reports from several parents who received calls from an individual posing as a ‘police officer,’ demanding money for the supposed release of their children. The calls were an attempt to threaten and extort money from the parents.

City Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal, in a press statement, revealed that on June 11 and 12, parents of several students studying in various schools in Mangaluru City received threatening calls.

“These calls, made via WhatsApp and from foreign numbers identifiable by country codes from Poland and Pakistan, featured a caller claiming to be a police officer. Speaking in Hindi, the caller informed parents that their child had been arrested and demanded money for their release,” Commissioner Agarwal stated.

The calls occurred during school hours. Immediate verification confirmed that the calls were fraudulent and that all students were safe at their respective schools.

A case has been filed and the Cyber Crime Police Station in Mangaluru City is leading the investigation.

Commissioner Agarwal urged parents and educational institutions not to panic over such calls. He advised avoiding answering WhatsApp calls from unknown foreign numbers and reporting any such incidents to the nearest police station immediately.