Bengaluru: Kannada filmstar Upendra and his wife Priyanka Upendra have reportedly fallen prey to a cyber fraud after hackers took control of their mobile phones and WhatsApp accounts, defrauding their acquaintances of around ₹1.5 lakh. The Bengaluru Police have tracked the scam to Bihar, where one accused, identified as Vikas Kumar, has been arrested.
How the cyber fraud unfolded
According to police officials, the incident occurred in September, when Priyanka Upendra ordered an item online. Shortly afterward, she received a suspicious link on her phone, which she clicked, unknowingly granting the hackers remote access to her WhatsApp account.
Once they gained control, the scammers sent urgent money requests to several of Priyanka’s contacts, claiming that she needed financial help. Believing the messages to be genuine, some contacts, including the couple’s own son, transferred money to the provided accounts.
Within hours, the hackers had managed to siphon off around ₹1.5 lakh before the family realised what had happened.
Phones of Upendra and manager also compromised
In a further twist, when Priyanka attempted to reach her husband and their manager during the commotion, Upendra’s and the manager’s phones were also compromised, expanding the hackers’ access to additional contact lists.
By the time the family understood the scale of the breach, several fraudulent transactions had already taken place. The couple immediately lodged a complaint at the Sadashivanagar Police Station, prompting an investigation.
Probe leads police to Bihar
The Bengaluru Central Division Cyber Police, along with Sadashivanagar Police, launched a joint probe that traced the fraudulent transactions to Dashrathpur in Bihar. Acting on electronic evidence and bank trail data, police arrested Vikas Kumar, who is believed to be part of a larger phishing network operating across multiple states.
Investigators are now working to identify other members of the gang and determine whether the accused were involved in similar scams targeting celebrities or high-profile individuals.
Cyber safety reminder
Police have once again urged the public to avoid clicking on unverified links, especially those received via messaging apps or SMS, even if they appear to come from trusted sources. Officials stressed that cybercriminals often use social engineering tactics to impersonate known contacts and trick victims into transferring money.
Citizens have been advised to enable two-step verification on WhatsApp and other apps to add an extra layer of protection against such attacks.
A growing cyber threat
Cybercrime cases involving phishing links and WhatsApp takeovers have been on the rise across Karnataka. In 2024 alone, Bengaluru Police reported over 2,000 cases of digital fraud, many of them linked to fake payment links or compromised messaging accounts.
The authorities have reiterated that those affected should immediately report such incidents to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) or the nearest police station for prompt action.