J&K Police discover guv’s fake Twitter account, file case

SRINAGAR: J&K Police cybercrime cell registered an FIR on Sunday after finding a fake Twitter account in the name of J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha. Hackers could use the account to spread misinformation and trigger chaos among the masses during this Covid pandemic, police said.
SP Cyber Police Tahir Ashraf confirmed the case of Sinha’s fake account, adding, “We have directed cybercrime officers to intensify their vigil.”
Hackers could also try to gain access to prominent Twitter users in a similar fashion, cops added. Similar fake accounts of some senior officials came to the fore recently. “Citizens should be alert and not blindly trust any tweet,” the officer added.
To prevent netizens from falling prey to hackers, he warned them against blindly believing content posted on social media platforms and advised them to first determine if the information is authentic.
The SP also urged people to not circulate posts which may seem ambiguous or those promoting hate speech and violence. “We have asked other social media platforms to be on the lookout for similar cases (of fake accounts) and inform the cyber cell in case of a security breach,” he added.