Vijay Shekhar Sharma posted on social media about this incident and wrote, “Impersonating myself to me.” He also shared a screenshot of that WhatsApp message.

By now, you must have heard that online fraudsters steal others’ identities and scam people. But when the target of the fraud is the fraudster himself, the matter is both funny and shocking.

Something similar happened with Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma. He received a message on WhatsApp, in which the other person identified himself as ‘Vijay Shekhar Sharma’. That is, the scammer messaged him using Vijay’s identity.

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Vijay Shekhar Sharma posted on social media about this incident and wrote, “Impersonating myself to me.” He also shared a screenshot of that WhatsApp message in which the scammer is asking him, “Are you in the office?” And he is calling himself ‘Vijay Shekhar Sharma’.

Funny reactions on social media

After this post, there was a flood of reactions on the internet. One user jokingly wrote, “Impersonating ka tarika thoda kesual hai.” Another said in a serious tone, “Jokes are in their place, but this is a serious issue. Many people fall into such traps.” A third user quipped, “Just need this much confidence.” While the fourth one mentioned Paytm and said, “Ask him, how much cashback will you get on Paytm UPI?” And another user said in a filmy style, “Vijay calling Vijay – like in the movie ‘Karthik Calling Karthik’.”

How to avoid WhatsApp scam?

WhatsApp has explained in a blog how to avoid such scams. The first step is to stop and think. If someone asks you to respond quickly, asks you to trust them or asks for your PIN and personal details, be cautious.

Step two, stop the conversation immediately. If someone’s behavior seems suspicious, stop talking. WhatsApp itself says, “If you are unable to identify the other person, do not share any personal or financial information.”

Step three, block and report. Block such scammers immediately and report them to WhatsApp. Also, always keep your privacy and security settings updated.

Scams are now even a joke, but the impact is real

This case of Vijay Shekhar Sharma may seem funny on social media, but it shows that scammers can go to any extent now. There is a need to be cautious and move wisely along with technology.