Puttur, August 6, 2025: Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting WhatsApp, a leading messaging service, to execute elaborate scams, making users more susceptible to financial deception. A recent surge in such incidents has been reported in Mangaluru and Puttur, with three new cases emerging on Tuesday. The fraudulent activities involve the takeover of phone numbers to dispatch deceitful messages to unsuspecting contacts, urgently seeking payments. This alarming trend, as reported by Bantwal News, underscores the necessity for enhanced user vigilance on the widely-utilized platform to safeguard digital security.
How the WhatsApp Scam Unfolds
In a disturbing event reported from Puttur, the WhatsApp account of a private sector worker was illegally accessed by cybercriminals. Between 11 AM and 12 PM, these digital offenders exploited the compromised account to dispatch messages to the individual's contact list, urgently soliciting Rs 60,000. The communication, riddled with grammatical errors, claimed the sender's UPI was experiencing technical difficulties and provided alternative payment options via PhonePe or Google Pay, with the recipient details listed as "Avinash Kumar" (9241745226). The potential victims, wary of the suspicious language and unknown recipient, attempted to verify the situation by contacting the actual owner of the hacked number. However, they were met with a deliberate obstacle: the phone was switched off. This tactic is commonly used by cybercriminals to prevent the truth from being uncovered.
ಮೂಲ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ- Cyberfraud: ಎಚ್ಚರ!!! ವಾಟ್ಸಾಪ್ ಕೂಡ ಸುರಕ್ಷಿತವಲ್ಲ – ಹಣ ಕೇಳಿದರು ಎಂದು ಕಳಿಸುವ ಮುನ್ನ ಜಾಗ್ರತೆ ವಹಿಸಿ – ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ ವಿವರ
The incident has brought to light the audacious tactics employed by such perpetrators, who often manipulate unsuspecting users into pressing * or # during fraudulent phone calls. This action can lead to a total lockdown of the device, thereby facilitating a complete takeover of the WhatsApp account. Fortunately, the collective skepticism of the recipients thwarted the scammers' efforts, as no funds were transferred. This case underscores the importance of vigilance and awareness in the digital realm, as the audacity of cybercriminals continues to escalate.
Protect Yourself from Cyberfraud
Cybercrime experts are sounding the alarm on a surge in scams that manipulate trust to deceive individuals. A high-ranking police official revealed that these scammers often hijack social media accounts to masquerade as friends or relatives, exploiting the intimate nature of these digital connections to defraud unsuspecting users. In response to this growing threat, authorities are advocating for the implementation of two-factor authentication within the WhatsApp platform as an additional safeguard. Furthermore, individuals are advised to refrain from clicking on dubious links and to personally confirm any financial requests by calling the sender before taking action.
In light of recent cases in Mangaluru, the local police are conducting investigations. However, officials have noted that legal recourse can be a time-consuming process. As a proactive measure, they have established a cybercrime hotline at 1930 for reporting such incidents and encourage victims to file complaints at the nearest station. An officer actively involved in the investigation underscored the importance of personal vigilance: "Your security is your responsibility. Act promptly to protect your online accounts and remain vigilant to avoid falling prey to such scams."
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