WhatsApp Alert As Scammers Demand Rs 20,000 In Bold New Account Hijack

Police have issued an urgent warning regarding a sophisticated WhatsApp hacking scam after a 42-year-old man from Eau Coulée lost control of his account and saw his contacts targeted for fraudulent funds.

The victim reported the breach to local authorities on Monday, 27 April, after being locked out of his messaging application at approximately 10:00 am.

Cyber-criminals, having seized control of the account, immediately began broadcasting emergency solicitations to the man’s contact list, demanding urgent transfers of MUR 20,000.

The alarm was raised when concerned friends and family members contacted the victim to verify the unusual requests.

In response, the man filed a Precautionary Measure (PM) with his local police station to document the identity theft and ongoing financial solicitation.

Security Protocols

In light of this breach, digital security experts and authorities are urging the public to adopt immediate protective measures to secure their mobile accounts:

• Two-Step Verification: Users are strongly advised to enable this feature within WhatsApp’s security settings to create an additional barrier against unauthorised access.
• Voice Confirmation: If a contact requests money via message, individuals should never proceed with a transfer without first speaking to the person directly to verify their identity.
• Verification Codes: Under no circumstances should the six-digit WhatsApp verification code be shared with others, even if the request appears to come from a known acquaintance.

The investigation into the Eau Coulée incident remains ongoing as authorities track the digital footprint of the perpetrators.

Source: Defi Media