Sarathkumar gets call from ‘himself’, hunt on for poser

While city police did not reveal the content of Sarathkumar’s complaint or FIR details, audio that was released by police was about the conversation between Sarathkumar and the fraudster who made a call to the actor-politician using the same mobile phone number.

Police said Sarathkumar received calls from various celebrities and VIPs after several calls were being made using his phone number without his knowledge. City police warned people to be wary of such scooping calls of public functionaries and asking for certain favours and asked them to verify the authenticity of such calls. The city police commissioner has warned stringent action against those who indulge in making such calls.

Meanwhile, city-based cyberspace expert Vijayashankar, told DT Next said there are a number of websites which allow fraudsters to impersonate someone if they know someone’s phone number. “The calls would be internet-based and the receiver will have no idea who they are talking to. A few years ago, a girl got a call from Shah Rukh Khan, inviting her to his birthday party. Later, she came to know that she was cheated. It is a case of impersonation and is punishable under cyber laws,” he said.

Contending that websites and mobile phone applications that facilitate crime should be banned, Vijayashankar said: “There are so many such websites. New ones will surface even if we ban the existing ones. It is an eternal fight, but we should continue to fight these anti-socials.”