WhatsApp Hack in Teachers Group Leads to Cyber Fraud in Zaheerabad
Cyber criminals hacked a government teacher’s WhatsApp account and cheated several teachers in Zaheerabad by sending urgent money requests through school staff groups.
- WhatsApp hack targets teachers group members
- Cyber fraudsters collect money through QR code
- Teachers lose cash in fake emergency scam
A cyber fraud incident in Telangana’s Zaheerabad town has shocked government school teachers after hackers used a teacher’s WhatsApp account to cheat several people in staff groups.
According to police and local sources, cyber criminals hacked the WhatsApp account of a government teacher named Anand without his knowledge. After gaining access, the fraudsters entered multiple teachers groups where Anand was already a member.
To avoid suspicion, the hackers sent messages in Anand’s style and claimed there was an urgent financial emergency. The message stated that his UPI service was not working and requested immediate help to transfer money to another person.
The fraudsters also shared a QR code in the group and assured members that the amount would be returned within two hours. Believing the request was genuine, several teachers transferred money to the account mentioned in the QR code.
Officials said the cyber criminals managed to collect more than one lakh rupees from different group members. One teacher named Vittal reportedly lost around sixty thousand rupees after sending money in multiple transactions.
The fraud continued until the hackers demanded another payment of seventeen thousand five hundred rupees. This raised suspicion, prompting Vittal to directly call Anand and confirm the request. Only then did they realise that Anand’s WhatsApp account had been hacked.
After discovering the fraud, the victims immediately contacted the national cybercrime helpline number 1930 and lodged a complaint with cyber police. Authorities responded quickly and froze the bank account linked to the scam, preventing further financial losses.
Cyber experts are now warning people not to trust money requests received through WhatsApp messages alone, even if they come from close friends or known contacts. They advise users to always verify such requests through a direct phone call before sending money.
