Rajasthan Police Warns of WhatsApp Account Hacking Scams, Urges People to Beware of Fake QR Codes and OTP Fraud:

The Rajasthan Police’s R-4-C (Rajasthan Cyber Crime) wing has issued an advisory warning people about WhatsApp account hacking scams. Cybercriminals are using fake QR codes, misleading messages and stolen OTPs to gain access to users’ accounts and cheat people.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Cyber Crime, V.K. Singh said that scammers use different tricks to take control of WhatsApp accounts. After hacking an account, they contact people on the victim’s contact list and ask for money, often claiming that they need urgent help for a medical emergency or another reason. They may also send suspicious links to spread scams.

According to the police, fraudsters may trick users into linking their WhatsApp accounts to unknown devices by using fake QR codes or harmful links. They may also pretend to be friends, government officials or customer support staff to steal OTPs, verification codes or two-step verification PINs. Some of them use suspicious apps to get access to messages and notifications or trick people into installing screen-sharing and remote-access apps to control their devices.

The Rajasthan Police has advised citizens to be alert and take measures to protect their WhatsApp accounts. People should not scan QR codes from unknown sources or messages that appear suspicious. They should also enable two-step verification, set a strong PIN and never share their OTPs, registration codes or verification PINs with anyone.

The police have urged citizens to report WhatsApp hacking attempts and cyber fraud to the nearest police station or cyber police station. Complaints can also be filed through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in.

People who lose money due to online fraud should immediately call the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 to report the incident and seek assistance.