CHENNAI: Police probe on a tip-off about cyber scamsters using pictures of Chennai Police Commissioner A Arun in fake social media profiles and targeting citizens, is under way.

A social media user from a North Indian state alerted the Greater Chennai Police after he received a WhatsApp call with Commissioner Arun’s photograph as a display picture. The user said that the caller expressed urgency and sought financial help.

The police last month arrested two persons from Rajasthan for allegedly creating a fake social media profile in the name of IPS officer R Thirunavukkarasu and trying to cheat his acquaintances.

Thirunavukkarasu, who is serving as a DIG in the Chief Minister’s security cell, filed a complaint in February this year against impersonators who, after creating a fake social media profile using his name and photographs, sent messages to his acquaintances and sought money. They have sent messages claiming that one of the officer’s friends, a CRPF officer, is getting transferred and is seeking to sell furniture.

A special team traced the callers to Rajasthan, from where two persons, Hanif Khan (31), and Washid Khan (24), were arrested.