Sambit Patra’s WhatsApp Account Reportedly Hacked In Cyber Fraud Case

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra has said his WhatsApp account was hacked, with cyber fraudsters allegedly using his number to send messages requesting money from people in his contact list. Patra confirmed the incident in a post on social media platform X and urged the public not to respond to any financial requests originating from his account until it is restored.

The compromise came to light after several contacts reportedly received messages seeking ₹55,000 through online payment. In one instance, the sender shared a QR code linked to an individual identified as Jagdish Paswan and insisted on a digital transfer after a request for an in-person collection was declined. The suspicious behaviour prompted concerns that the account had been taken over by cybercriminals.

Confirming the breach, Patra said his WhatsApp account had been compromised and was being misused to send misleading messages and demand money. He clarified that the messages were fraudulent and had no connection with him. The BJP leader added that he had informed senior officials of the Odisha Police and appealed to the public to ignore any requests sent from his WhatsApp account until the issue is resolved.

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Patra is not the first public figure to be targeted in such a cyber fraud. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule and actor Swara Bhasker have previously reported similar incidents involving compromised WhatsApp accounts. Last year, BJP leader Dinesh Chand Sharma also faced a comparable attack in which fraudsters allegedly contacted thousands of people from his account seeking financial assistance.

Cybersecurity experts advise users to strengthen the security of their WhatsApp accounts by enabling two-step verification with a six-digit PIN and a recovery email address, regularly reviewing linked devices and logging out of unfamiliar sessions. Users are also encouraged to activate privacy features such as app locks, chat locks and IP protection during calls, while avoiding suspicious links, QR codes and unofficial versions of the messaging application.

If an account is suspected to have been compromised, users should immediately log back into WhatsApp using their registered phone number, which typically logs out unauthorised sessions. They should also notify their contacts through alternative communication channels, report the incident to WhatsApp and file a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the Government of India’s Cyber Crime Portal to help prevent further misuse.

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