A public advisory has been issued by the West Bengal Police after fraudsters started circulating fake loan advertisements online that use the name and photograph of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The fake loan advertisements have been circulated on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to lure people into scams after they see Mamata Banerjee’s name and photograph, making people think that it is legit.
The advisory issued by police warns that “misuse of the name of the honorable Chief Minister of West Bengal for online loan frauds” has been spreading rapidly, although no such scheme has been announced or endorsed by the Chief Minister or the state government.
Police further clarified that “These advertisements are completely fake and fraudulent. The use of the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s name or image is unauthorised and illegal.”
What does the advisory say?
According to the advisory, scammers run these legit-looking ads to trap people as they promote ”instant loans” that do not need CIBIL checks or that the loans are supposedly government-approved financial schemes. If a user moves forward with this, they redirect them to fake apps, websites, or WhatsApp numbers where they are asked to share sensitive information. The police said that the fraudsters typically “ask for personal details, Aadhaar, PAN, OTP, bank details. Demand processing fees or advance payments. Disappear after receiving money or misuse the victim’s identity.”
The West Bengal police advised people to stay away from such scams and urged them to not click on any unknown links, install unknown apps, or to share any personal and financial information with such sources. “Do not respond or make any payment. Report immediately to Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; http://cybercrime.gov.in; Preserve screenshots, links, phone numbers, and transaction details for investigation.”
The police also warned of stern action against anyone involved in impersonation, cheating, cyber fraud, and misuse of public authority names or images.
⚠️ PUBLIC ADVISORY
MISUSE OF THE NAME OF HON’BLE CHIEF MINISTER OF WEST BENGAL FOR ONLINE LOAN FRAUDSIt has come to the notice of West Bengal Police that fraudsters are circulating misleading advertisements and social-media content, falsely using the name and photograph of…
— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) December 28, 2025
