TNI Bureau: Puri MP and BJP National Spokesperson Dr. Sambit Patra on Sunday confirmed that his WhatsApp account had been hacked after fraudsters allegedly used his number to impersonate him and seek money from journalists, acquaintances and other contacts.
In a post on X, Patra warned the public that misleading messages were being sent from his WhatsApp account demanding money. He clarified that the messages were fake, said he had informed senior Odisha Police officials, and urged everyone not to respond to any request or transfer funds until his account was restored.
Among those targeted was journalist Ajit Anjum, who received a WhatsApp message seeking ₹65,000. When Anjum offered to hand over the money in person instead of making an online transfer, the sender declined and continued insisting on a digital payment while sharing a QR code, exposing the fraud.
Senior journalist Akhilesh Anand also disclosed that he received a message from Patra’s compromised account requesting an urgent transfer of ₹45,000. Sensing something was amiss, he verified the request and avoided the scam.
Journalist Awesh Tiwari likewise shared screenshots showing that the hacker had attempted to solicit money from him through the hacked account. The social media posts by the journalists helped expose the fraud and alerted others before more people could fall victim.
The incident has once again highlighted the growing sophistication of cybercriminals, who increasingly target verified public figures to exploit the trust of their personal and professional contacts.
Cybersecurity experts advise users never to transfer money solely based on WhatsApp messages, even if they appear to originate from a known contact, without first verifying the request through a phone call or another trusted communication channel.
