Popular Kannada actor-director Upendra and his wife, Priyanka Upendra, have become the latest victims of cybercrime. The celebrity couple recently lodged a complaint with the Sadashiva Nagar police in Bengaluru after discovering their mobile phones had been hacked. The fraudsters then used their compromised devices to send urgent pleas for money to their extensive contact list.
Close friends and family members of the Upendras reportedly received messages requesting immediate financial transfers via UPI, with the hackers fabricating emergencies and promising repayment within a few hours. Tragically, several individuals, believing the requests were genuine, transferred funds to the scammers.
Priyanka Upendra shared details of how the hack occurred. She received a message indicating an issue with an online order, instructing her to call a specific number containing unusual symbols. Both she and Upendra dialled this suspicious number from their respective phones, which immediately led to their devices being compromised and subsequently blocked by the hackers.
Upon realizing the severity of the situation and the financial losses incurred by their contacts, the couple acted swiftly. They took to social media, going live to urgently request that their followers and contacts disregard any messages soliciting money in their name, emphasizing the fraudulent nature of these requests.
Upendra recounted the incident: “A message came to my wife Priyanka’s phone… we dialled from Priyanka’s phone and then from mine too. Both our phones got hacked.” Priyanka echoed this warning, urging the public, “My phone and Upendra’s phones have been hacked. Some people are asking for money through UPI. We appeal to everyone not to send any money.” Their public appeal aims to minimize further damage and protect others from falling prey to this elaborate scam.