Latest scamming trick: 'I am MS Dhoni...have forgotten wallet'

Scammers are posing as former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni on messaging platforms and social media, aiming to deceive individuals for monetary gain. In a recent incident, a scammer contacted someone on Instagram, pretending to be MS Dhoni, claiming to be stranded in Ranchi without funds. The imposter, using the username "mahi77i2" (while Dhoni's official handle is "mahi7781"), requested Rs 600 to return home, accompanied by a selfie and the Chennai Super Kings slogan "Whistle Podu" to appear authentic.

"Hi, I am MS Dhoni. I am messaging you from a private account. I am in Ranchi outskirts and have forgotten wallet. Can you PhonePe me Rs 600 so I can return home by bus, will send back once I get home," the text said as shared by the user on social media.

The incident has garnered significant attention online, amassing over 200,000 views in just a few hours on social media.

Experts emphasize the prevalence of such impersonation scams on the internet. Scammers employ various tactics, including mimicking usernames, profile pictures, and knowledge of the victim's interests, to appear credible and deceive unsuspecting individuals.



Many netizens reacted to the post, questioning the audacity of the scammer. Another quipped: "The scammer employed two-factor authentication: a selfie followed by the phrase 'Whistle Podu'"

Coming back to the cricket field, MS Dhoni, has entertained the crowd with the bat even with his brief presence on the crease. He has opted to bat lower down the order due to recover from his knee injury. In six innings in this IPL season so far, Dhoni has scored 91 runs, remaining unbeaten in all the innings at a strike rate of 260 even at the twilight of his career

CCK batting coach Mike Hussey believes that Mahendra Singh Dhoni, having stepped down from captaincy at Chennai Super Kings, is currently in an exceptional phase and will keep progressing. Despite possibly being his final IPL season, Dhoni's performance has been explosive, elevating his game to new heights.

"He's currently at a fantastic stage in his career. He's feeling comfortable, content, and enjoying his cricket," Hussey said.

"He's prepared meticulously for the tournament and has practiced diligently. Given his reputation as one of the greatest finishers in cricket, bowlers are devising various strategies against him."

Acknowledging Dhoni's ability to continuously enhance his game, even in the latter stages of his career, the 48-year-old Australian emphasized that bowlers will face challenges in bowling to him.

"Bowlers must come up with innovative plans. That's one of the remarkable qualities of MS. He will persist in evolving and refining himself, making it increasingly difficult for bowlers to counter him," Hussey concluded.