WhatsApp hacks overtake digital arrest fraud cases
Times of India | 30 March 2025
Kolkata: A new headache is emerging for the various cyber cells under Kolkata Police as random WhatsApp accounts are getting hacked or compromised. This is happening even as digital arrest fraud cases, which led to dozens of Kolkatans losing lakhs of their hard-earned money, finally show a downward trend for the first time in the past 11 months.
In Feb alone, around 56 complaints of WhatsApp hacking were reported, compared to 27 cases of digital arrest fraud. Till March 28, this numbers around 63 as against 16 cases of digital arrest fraud. However, digital arrest frauds are still causing maximum monetary losses, cautioned the cops.
"Digital arrest frauds lead to more monetary loss. In comparison, WhatsApp frauds breach personal space," said a cyber cell officer.
Cops said that the criminals seek OTPs. "We are receiving repeated complaints of retrieving the compromised WhatsApp accounts each day. In the past week, we received 10-12 cases of compromised accounts. This has seen a rapid rise from last year, though some methods used are in use since 2022," said a senior divisional cyber cell official.
"You may receive a message on WhatsApp asking you to click on a link and share the WhatsApp verification code. These forwards might come from people who are extremely close to you. Sharing this code will give fraudsters access to your WhatsApp. If you receive such a message from your friend or relative, verify whether it is really your friend/relative who has sent that message to you," the cops wrote on social media.
Kolkata is also witnessing multiple instances where a new feature is helping cyber crooks take control of the victim's mobile phone, similar to how crooks take control of computers and laptops using software like AnyDesk. "The WhatsApp share screen feature is also appearing as a menace, with victims being asked to share the shared screen option, after which the fraudsters instruct the victim accordingly," said a cyber-cell officer on Tuesday after receiving a fresh complaint. Though monetary losses here were restricted so far, multiple cities in India and across the world have seen their residents lose a large amount of money.
Cops claimed a third modus operandibeing used nowadays where victims usually get a call from an unknown number on a prevalent online topic, an interview, or issues like IT returns, the IPL, or bank-related documents. "Simultaneously, fraudsters initiate the WhatsApp registration process for the target number. The call-based WhatsApp activation option is selected," said a cop. The victim is then asked to merge the call, which is a verification call from WhatsApp that has an OTP. The victim is called up separately and asked to share the OTP, which is the WhatsApp activation OTP, and the account gets compromised.
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