Mumbai: You made a fortune in crypto and bought this Merc. You just don’t know it yet!

Hackers falsely claim that the victim bought a Mercedes CLA 200 D with Bitcoins; False information about the victim earning a substantial amount was posted on her social media accounts; Victims are sent messages, which, when accessed, gives hackers control of account

In recent times, city police departments have been flooded by complaints from social media users whose accounts have been hacked. Hackers take control, inciting panic as they disseminate alarming content on users' timelines. Some scammers go so far as to create fake accounts, using genuine identities and photos to solicit money from the friends of the real account holders. mid-day decided to do a deep-dive into the issue to bring to readers the numerous ways criminals can prey on their technological vulnerabilities.

Many victims struggle for months to resolve these issues with authorities, often met with vague responses or outright dismissal. Alarmingly, even law enforcement officers themselves fall victim to these thefts.

Misleading information of a victim earning huge sums through Bitcoin; (right) Scammers use fake accounts with real identities to lure victims

"Account breaches often happen via deceptive messages, where fake IDs resembling official social media platforms prompt users to change passwords due to reported unusual activity. Clicking on provided links unwittingly gives hackers control, often resulting in changes to registered contact information," said Yasir Shaikh, a cyber expert and the CTO/founder of Macksofy Technologies Pvt Ltd.

Victim's story

Pratik Nanavati, 53, reported his hacked Facebook account to Mumbai police cyber cell on February 8. Despite efforts, he's still unable to regain access, while the hacker continues posting bitcoin-related scams, tempting his friends and family to invest.

"On February 8, I received an email claiming to be from Facebook, stating that my linked email had been changed. Panicked, I clicked the link provided and lost control of my account. While I rarely use Facebook, I now find it irritating to think that many people may have been duped, and I'm receiving calls about the Bitcoin posts," Nanavati told midday.

On February 25, hackers falsely claimed I bought a Mercedes CLA 200 D with Bitcoins on social media, even editing my photos with the car. I received a call from my mother, who was surprised because I hadn't mentioned anything about a new car to her. Despite repeatedly explaining that my account was hacked, she doesn't understand social media, adding to the panic."

Nanavati said he lodged complaints with both the cybercrime authorities and Facebook. On Wednesday, he received notification that his account had been blocked and inaccessible to anyone. He criticised Facebook for its poor response to the situation.

Another businessman from North Mumbai, who is in the garment business, has been unable to regain control of his Facebook account for the past six months.
I received a suspicious link claiming a copyright complaint, leading to loss of account access. The hacker altered photos, posted unusual content, and is demanding R8,000 for account return. Despite seeking cyber expert help, regaining control is delayed by hackers' changes to email and contact. I've been stressed for months, but created a new account and moved on."

Similarly, a Mumbai-based journalist recounted losing access to his X account after clicking on a link from an X verified account.

"As a journalist, it was alarming to lose control over my X account, as people might believe false tweets associated with a leading newspaper. It could have been very dangerous. After regaining access in 4-5 days, I had to create a new email address. I realised hackers exploit such accounts for various schemes, including spreading propaganda. Retweets from genuine accounts, especially those linked to journalists, can be especially convincing."

"Scammers use fake accounts with real identities and photos to scam friends for money, including impersonating IPS officers like Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar. Blocking these accounts on Meta is easy, but recovering hacked accounts can take over a month," said a police officer.

Facebook advisory

Facebook on its official page warns of potential hacking: "If you notice changes like email/password, name/birthday, unknown friend requests, or unauthorised messages please report." Despite their assurance of quick recovery through email verification, victims have reported delays and difficulty in regaining access.

Rs 8,000
The amount demanded from a victim