Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Falling for the trending ‘Pink WhatsApp’ may prove detrimental as you may end up losing all your personal information and data to the scammers.
The Pink WhatsApp’ scam has put private data of Bhopalites under threat. In last one month as many as 28 incidents of data hacking have come to fore in the city. People who received link to upgrade their WhatsApp to ‘Pink WhatsApp’ for free have fallen victim to the crooks who gained access to their mobile data through the malicious software.
The Pink WhatsApp’ hoax is luring the WhatsApp users to download it offering premium features liking hiding their online status, tracking other peoples’ last seen despite being hidden, and sundry other features. However, the people who have fallen for offers ended up compromising their private data.
Pink Whatsapp enables hackers to access private data
Once installed in the mobile, the scammers are able to hack the device and able to gain access to private data including gallery photos, text messages, social media handles, contacts and a number of other private details.
Senior officials of the Bhopal cyber crime cell said that within a month, 28 such incidents have come to fore but no complaints/FIRs have been lodged so far in this connection, as money has not been deducted from the victims’ accounts.
Sources in the cyber crime wing told Free Press that it was on June 24 when a resident of Katara Hills, HK Sharma received link on his cell phone. No sooner did he install the application on his device that it was hacked and WhatsApp stopped working on his device. When its resumption was not restored after numerous attempts, he approached the cyber cell, which assisted him in redressing the matter.
Subodh Ahirwar, Arera colony resident, also fell victim to the cyber crooks. All the UPI applications on his cell phone stopped working after he installed the ‘Pink WhatsApp’ application. The cyber cell took cognizance and further investigations are underway, sources added.
Cyber cell to issue advisory: DCP (Crime)
The gangs/miscreants behind the ‘Pink WhatsApp’ scam have not been traced so far, Deputy said Commissioner of police (Crime) Shrutkirti Somwanshi. The officer said he has cautioned the residents of Bhopal on Twitter about the fraud and advised them not to install it on their device. Further advisories will be issued by the district cyber crime cell soon, he said.
