Former Spouse of Actor Arrested in Online Impersonation and Fraud Case
Tehran – In a case highlighting the risks of online impersonation, the former spouse of a prominent Iranian actor has been arrested by Tehran’s Cyber Police (FATA) for allegedly creating a fraudulent social media profile to solicit funds from the public.
The Complaint and Investigation
According to a report by the analytical news source Che Khabar, Brigadier General Davoud Moazami Goodarzi, head of Tehran’s FATA Police, detailed that the case began when a national actor filed a complaint. The actor reported that a fake page using their name and images had been created on social media. The page was allegedly exploiting public sentiment and using the guise of animal welfare advocacy to solicit money from citizens.
General Goodarzi noted that FATA experts immediately launched an investigation. Their findings revealed an Instagram page with over 29,000 followers that had fraudulently assumed the actor’s identity using images available online. The page’s administrator falsely introduced themselves as the actor’s spouse and employed a scheme involving help for animals to defraud users.
The Arrest and Confession
“The investigation process determined that the Instagram page in question was managed by the actor’s former spouse,” stated General Goodarzi. Cyber officers utilized technical methods to track the suspect’s digital footprint. Following judicial procedures, the individual was arrested in a northern area of Greater Tehran and transferred to FATA custody.
The police chief further disclosed that the suspect had used the collected funds, purportedly for helping animals, to purchase a personal vehicle. “Upon being presented with the evidence by the complainant at FATA headquarters, the suspect had no choice but to confess,” Goodarzi said. The individual admitted to creating the fake profile using the actor’s name and details on Instagram to receive money from citizens and expressed remorse. The suspect cited motives of revenge against the complainant and a desire for notoriety in the digital space.
A Public Warning from Cyber Police
Brigadier General Goodarzi took the opportunity to issue a stern warning to the public, advising citizens not to trust virtual identities. He emphasized that criminals often exploit public emotions under various pretexts, such as helping animals, to approach potential victims.
The police reaffirmed that perpetrators of such crimes in cyberspace and social networks will be dealt with according to the law. Citizens can report similar incidents by calling the Cyber Emergency Center at 096380 or by visiting the FATA Police website at www.fata.gov.ir.
