NEW DELHI— Indian law enforcement authorities are examining a cyber fraud incident after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament and national spokesperson Sambit Patra said his WhatsApp account had been compromised and used to send fraudulent messages seeking money from people in his contact list.
Patra disclosed the incident in a public statement on Sunday, warning people not to trust messages or financial requests originating from his WhatsApp number until the account is restored. He said he had informed senior officials of the Odisha Police and that legal and technical steps were being taken to address the breach.
"My WhatsApp number has been hacked," Patra said in a post on X. He added that misleading messages requesting money were being circulated from his account and stressed that they were fake and unrelated to him. He urged recipients not to respond to the messages or transfer funds while the matter remains under investigation.
The incident appears to be part of an attempted financial fraud in which cybercriminals impersonated Patra to solicit money from his contacts. Indian media reported that at least one recipient received a request for 55,000 rupees and was later sent a QR code for payment after engaging with the sender. The reports said the individual became suspicious after offering to hand over the money in person, a request that was declined.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed how the WhatsApp account was compromised, and there has been no official announcement identifying those responsible. As of Sunday, police had not announced any arrests or released details of a criminal investigation beyond Patra's statement that the matter had been reported to senior Odisha Police officials.
The case highlights a recurring form of cyber-enabled fraud in India in which attackers gain access to messaging accounts or impersonate trusted individuals to request urgent financial assistance from friends, relatives or professional contacts. Cybersecurity experts and law enforcement agencies have repeatedly advised users to verify unexpected payment requests through independent communication channels before transferring money.
Patra said the public should disregard any messages, calls or payment requests sent from his WhatsApp account until it is recovered. No official confirmation had been issued by WhatsApp regarding the reported compromise by the time of publication.
