Bengal Police warn against fake loan ads in chief minister Mamata Banerjee's name
Telegraph | 29 December 2025
Bengal Police have issued an advisory warning the public about fraudsters circulating fake social media advertisements in the name of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, offering instant loans.
The advisory clarified that the state government has not announced any such financial scheme and urged people to remain vigilant against messages being shared on social media.
“It has come to the notice of Bengal Police that fraudsters are circulating misleading advertisements and social-media content, falsely using the name and photograph of Mamata Banerjee, Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, to lure people by offering instant loans, loans without CIBIL score, government-approved, government-approved financial schemes and guaranteed loans with no verification,” the advisory posted on Bengal Police’s social media handles stated.
The police emphasised that using the chief minister’s name to promote a fraudulent scheme constitutes a crime. “It is obvious that if people see an advertisement mentioning the chief minister, it will appear authentic and likely attract more investors. However, misusing her name for non-existent schemes aimed at cheating people is a grave offence,” said an officer.
Fraudsters are reportedly using social media to target people by offering instant loans without checking their CIBIL (Credit Information Bureau (India) Limited) scores. Victims are asked to download fraudulent apps or log into fake websites, where they are prompted to share personal details such as Aadhaar and PAN, as well as one-time passwords. They are then asked to pay a “processing fee” to obtain the loan, an officer explained.
“Once the fee is paid, the fraudsters stop responding to calls,” said the officer.
The police have urged the public to remain alert and report any such fraudulent advertisements immediately. Cases should also be reported to the National Cyber Crime Portal at 1930.
A senior officer added: “Such offences can attract penal charges for impersonation, cheating, cyber fraud, and misuse of the names and images of public authorities.”