Businessman’s WhatsApp Hacked, Friends Duped of ₹1.7 Lakh in Bengaluru Cyber Fraud

In yet another case highlighting the growing menace of online impersonation, a city-based businessman fell victim to cybercriminals after his WhatsApp account was hacked. The unidentified fraudster allegedly used the compromised account to cheat several of the businessman’s friends and relatives of over ₹1.7 lakh.

According to the police, the incident occurred on Friday when the victim received a missed call from an unknown mobile number. When he returned the call, the person on the other end introduced himself as a representative of a reputed courier company and claimed that a parcel was pending for delivery. The caller then sent a so-called “customer care” number via SMS, asking the businessman to contact it for further clarification.

The businessman dialed the number without suspecting foul play, following which his phone and WhatsApp account were reportedly hacked. Soon after gaining access, the fraudster began sending messages to people in the victim’s contact list, seeking urgent financial help under the pretext of a personal emergency.

Trusting the sender, several of the businessman’s friends and relatives transferred money to different UPI accounts shared by the fraudster, resulting in a total loss of around ₹1.7 lakh.

A formal complaint was lodged with the city’s cybercrime police on Saturday. Officials said efforts are underway to trace the accused through the money trail and digital footprints.

Police have once again urged citizens to exercise caution while answering unknown calls or messages, especially those involving suspicious links or financial requests. They also advised users to enable two-step verification on WhatsApp and report hacked accounts immediately to prevent further misuse.