Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s cyber police have received nearly 500 complaints of WhatsApp hacking this year, with many victims losing money through fraud carried out via compromised accounts.

Officers said fraudsters are sending messages to contacts from hacked accounts, sometimes posing as government services such as mParivahan. They warned that similar scams may increase during online sales campaigns on various e-commerce websites, when cybercriminals exploit heightened user activity.

In most cases, fraudulent messages are sent to contacts from the hacked account, asking recipients to click on malicious links or transfer money. Believing the requests are from friends or relatives, many fall for such messages. Once engaged, the victim’s own phone can also be compromised.

Police explained that when a hacked WhatsApp account is reinstalled, users are required to enter a one-time password. Failure to do so leaves the account inactive for 12 to 24 hours, during which time fraudsters send deceptive messages to the user’s contacts.