West Jaintia Hills district police have issued an advisory to all WhatsApp users to exercise caution and take proactive measures to safeguard their personal data and privacy after numerous complaints were made with regards to account hacks.
In an official statement today, the police have not mentioned the number of complaints made but said that since May 18, 2025 multiple individuals, who are residents of Jowai, have reported that their WhatsApp accounts were compromised by an unknown hacker.
“Following the hack, the perpetrators have been sending messages to the contacts of the affected users, demanding money, and creating panic and fear among those receiving the messages,” Superintendent of Police Chemphang Syrti said.
He said these fraudulent activities, which involve the use of hacked WhatsApp accounts to impersonate legitimate contacts, have led to widespread anxiety in the community. Victims of the scam have reported receiving urgent money requests from friends and family members, who, in reality, are not the ones initiating the communication, he added.
While the police are currently investigating into these incidents, Syrti urged the general public to remain vigilant and follow certain security measures to protect their personal information and avoid falling victim to similar scams.
The public have been advised to avoid responding to unknown messages, not to click on suspicious links, especially from unfamiliar contacts. These may lead to phishing websites or malware, he said.
The public have also been cautioned not to share One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or other sensitive information and to activate WhatsApp’s two-step verification (2FA) feature to add an extra layer of protection to the account.
“If you believe your WhatsApp account has been hacked, immediately log out of all devices and contact WhatsApp support. Additionally, report the incident to local police station for further investigation,” the SP urged.
An online complaint can also be lodged at www.cybercrime.gov.in.
For financial fraud, a victim can dial 1930 immediately for necessary assistance.
“We are committed to ensuring the safety and security of the public and is actively working to investigate these incidents,” the SP assured.
