Perpetrator impersonates user after hacking WhatsApp account
Shillong, May 23: Making it clear that self-caution is the ultimate key to safeguard from cyber frauds and crimes, West Jaintia Hills district police have issued an advisory urging people to remain vigilant to avoid falling victim to scams.
The advisory was issued following several complaints from residents of Jowai town regarding about hacking of their WhatsApp accounts, causing panic among the local community.
Since May 18, several individuals have reported that their WhatsApp accounts were compromised by an unknown hacker.
After hacking, the perpetrators would impersonate the user and send messages to his/her contacts, requesting money and thus creating panic and fear among receivers of the messages.
“Victims of the scam have reported receiving urgent money requests from friends and family members, who, in reality, are not the ones initiating the communication,” the police said.
Police team is currently investigating these incidents, West Jaintia Hills district police chief C Syrti said.
He urged the people to remain vigilant and follow certain security measures to protect their personal information and avoid falling victim to similar scams.
Some of the precautionary measures include –
Avoid responding to unknown messages: Do not engage with unsolicited messages from unknown contacts. Always verify the sender’s identity through alternate means before responding.
Do not click on suspicious links: Be cautious of any links or attachments received via WhatsApp, especially those from unfamiliar contacts. These may lead to phishing websites or malware.
Never share OTPs or sensitive information: Refrain from sharing One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or other sensitive information unless you are certain of the authenticity of the request. Always confirm the source before sharing such details.
Enable two-step verification: Activate WhatsApp’s two-step verification (2FA) feature to add an extra layer of protection to your account. This feature helps prevent unauthorized access, even if your login credentials are compromised.
Report suspicious activity: If you believe your WhatsApp account has been hacked, immediately log out of all devices and contact WhatsApp support. Additionally, report the incident to local Police Station for further investigation.
For any cybercrimes, people can file an online complaint at cybercrime.gov.in.
For financial fraud, the police have requested the public to immediately dial 1930 for necessary assistance.
“We are committed to ensuring the safety and security of the public. We urge all WhatsApp users to exercise caution and take proactive measures to safeguard their personal data and privacy,” the SP added.
“He wants to push Apple to localise more and build a supply chain in the US, which is not going to happen overnight. Making in the US will also be much more expensive than assembling iPhones in India,” he said.
Research Vice President Neil Shah had said that Apple has been doing a lot of groundwork in India, which has helped it successfully manage some of the US iPhone demand from its India production facilities.
“In terms of capacity, India has enough to potentially meet all US iPhone demand in the future, but the ecosystem needs to be ramped up. We will see more efforts towards this, as well as products beyond iPhones. We expect made-in-India iPhones to account for 25%-30% of global iPhone shipments in 2025, as compared to 18% in 2024,” he said.
