Hyderabad Police have issued an alert about a new form of online fraud in which scammers use WhatsApp messages to trick users into losing money from their bank accounts.
Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said victims first receive a message from an unknown number claiming that a specific amount has been debited from their bank account. A follow-up message then urges the recipient to reply “No” immediately if they did not make the transaction.
According to the warning, if a user responds in panic without verifying the claim, hidden software embedded in the message may activate. Fraudsters can then take control of the victim’s mobile phone and withdraw money from the linked bank account.
The police noted that this method does not require the victim to share an OTP or click a suspicious link, making it harder to detect. Users have been advised not to reply “Yes” or “No” to such WhatsApp messages, to block the number and delete the chat, and to verify any transaction only through the bank’s official app, as banks do not seek such confirmations via WhatsApp.
