Odisha: Top IT officer’s WhatsApp number hacked

BHUBANESWAR: Manoj Kumar Pattnaik, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Odisha computer application centre (OCAC) and additional secretary of the state electronics and information technology (E&IT) department, has fallen prey to cyber fraud and impersonation.
An unknown cyber criminal allegedly hacked Pattnaik’s WhatsApp number, impersonated him and demanded money from the contact list of the victim by sending distress messages. Assuming the messages as genuine, some of the close contacts of Pattnaik transferred money to the bank and UPI accounts shared by the fraudster. Sources said five persons together sent around Rs seven lakh to the accounts of the cyber criminal.
“I will lodge a formal complaint with the police on Wednesday. Some of my contacts, who became victims of the phishing messages, have already lodged complaints with the Saheed Nagar police here,” Pattnaik told TOI.
Pattnaik said he received an unknown call on his WhatsApp on Tuesday afternoon. The caller did not utter a word, prompting Pattnaik to hang up the phone after around 30 seconds.
“Around 3.20 pm, I received a call from my friend, who inquired about my health and told me about the distress message, seeking urgent financial help for my treatment, sent from my WhatsApp to his phone. I realised someone hacked my WhatsApp,” Pattnaik said. Pattnaik denied he clicked on any malicious link sent by the accused.
Soon, Pattnaik was flooded with phone calls from his near and dear. A few of his office staff reportedly sent money to the fraudsters. “I received the WhatsApp call and message showing Pattnaik sir’s face,” said a victim.
Pattnaik said he was still unable to reinstall his WhatsApp on the same number as the hackers might have tampered with his profile’s authentication system.
In the wake of the incident, the E&IT department has started sensitising people against cyber fraud, involving phishing WhatsApp calls and messages. “The department has issued an advisory on WhatsApp phishing. Hackers target victims via WhatsApp voice call or suspicious link on social media, SMS, WhatsApp. By adopting proper precautionary measures, hackers can be kept at bay without uninstalling the App,” the E&IT department tweeted.
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