IAS Officer's Mobile Phone Hacked and Cloned in Lucknow, Fraudulent WhatsApp Payment Requests Circulated
In a concerning incident of cybercrime, the mobile phone of an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer stationed in Lucknow was allegedly hacked and cloned on Tuesday evening. This security breach caused significant panic among the officer's contacts after fraudulent payment requests began circulating through his compromised WhatsApp account.
Fraudulent Messages Trigger Alerts and Verification
The incident came to light when several acquaintances of the officer started receiving WhatsApp messages urgently requesting financial assistance. Reports indicate that nearly ten individuals received these suspicious payment requests, prompting them to immediately alert the officer and verify the authenticity of the messages. This quick response from his contacts helped in early detection of the cyber attack.
Officer Locked Out of Device, Cyber Cell Swiftly Intervenes
Around 8:30 PM, the officer contacted the cyber cell after finding himself completely locked out of his device. According to officials familiar with the investigation, he was unable to send SMS, make phone calls, or access his WhatsApp account, clear indicators that the phone had been compromised. A dedicated cyber team promptly reached the officer's residence and successfully restored access to the device within minutes. The team secured the account and initiated a comprehensive technical analysis to prevent any further misuse.
Investigation Points to Suspicious File Download as Likely Cause
Police officials suspect that the breach occurred after a suspicious file was inadvertently downloaded onto the device. Investigators are examining whether a staff member associated with the officer mistakenly downloaded a malicious APK file or other malware, which enabled unauthorized access and cloning of the phone number. The cyber cell is meticulously analyzing login attempts, IP addresses, and various digital footprints to trace the source of the attack, as stated by DCP, Crime, Kamlesh Dixit.
Police Issue Advisory on Verifying Financial Requests
In light of this incident, police have advised citizens to exercise extreme caution. They recommend verifying all financial requests received via messaging apps, even if they appear to come from known contacts. Immediate reporting of any suspicious activity to authorities is strongly encouraged to mitigate risks and prevent similar cybercrimes.
