Actor Upendra, wife’s phones 'hacked'; cybercriminals demand Rs 55,000 from their contacts

Bengaluru: Kannada actor Upendra Rao and his wife Priyanka Upendra’s mobile phones were allegedly hacked, and the cybercriminals demanded Rs 55,000 from their contacts. The actor posted a video on social media on Monday narrating the episode.

According to Upendra, his wife received a phone call and was made to enter some code, which “hacked both their phones” after the code was also entered on his phone.

“Please beware. If anyone messages from our number seeking money, please don’t send it,” the actor appealed to the public.

Priyanka then approached the Bengaluru police and lodged a complaint.

“It was a coincidence that I received a call where the person claimed that some of the household goods I had ordered were due for delivery. I had actually ordered these items from an app, so I believed the call. Once I entered the code, my phone was hacked, and my contacts received messages from my WhatsApp number asking for Rs 55,000 by stressing some urgency. Some, including my son, have even transferred it, and it has come to our attention. Attempts are being made to recover them,” Priyanka told reporters.

Police suspect that it may be a case of a call forwarding scam where the suspects make the victim enter a code on their phone, making all calls, messages, including OTPs, be routed to the phone number entered by the fraudsters. Further investigation is underway.