WhatsApp hack: How a doctor messaged CM Fadnavis for money
Dr. Gautam Bhansali, a well-known Mumbai physician, had his WhatsApp account hacked by scammers who messaged his contacts—including Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Bollywood stars—pretending he needed urgent cash.
The hackers asked for UPI transfers to a fake account, hoping people would help without double-checking.
Scammers asked for UPI transfers to a fake account
The fraud was uncovered when a colleague questioned an odd money request during an ICU bed arrangement.
Dr. Bhansali realized something was wrong after missing messages from his own number and quickly alerted hospital groups and cyber police.
By then, over ₹1.3 lakh had already been sent by friends and acquaintances.
Police worked with Meta to block the account, traced the scam to Bihar, and restored access after two days.
Tips to prevent your account from being hacked
To avoid this happening to you: turn on two-step verification in WhatsApp settings (set up a 6-digit PIN), regularly check linked devices for anything suspicious, and never share OTPs or scan random QR codes—even if they look urgent or come from someone you know.