Cybercriminals Hijack BMC Chief Ashwini Bhide's WhatsApp in Call-Forwarding Scam

Cybercriminals briefly took control of BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide's WhatsApp account on Saturday afternoon in Mumbai after tricking her into activating call forwarding through a fake courier call, according to Mumbai Police.

Police said Bhide received a phone call from an unknown person claiming that a parcel had been booked in her name. When she clarified that she had not ordered any parcel, the caller instructed her to contact a delivery person. She was subsequently sent a code containing 21 followed by a 10-digit mobile number and ending with #, which she was asked to dial.

Dialling the code activated call forwarding on Bhide's phone, redirecting her incoming calls to a number operated by the cybercriminals. The perpetrators then attempted to register her mobile number on WhatsApp, choosing the voice-call verification method instead of SMS.

Because incoming calls were diverted, the scammers received the automated verification call, retrieved the login code, and gained access to her account. The accused then set Bhide's photograph as the display picture and began messaging VIP contacts saved on her phone to request money.

Bhide noticed the suspicious activity shortly after the breach occurred. She immediately disabled call forwarding on her handset and took steps to regain access to her WhatsApp account, thwarting attempts to execute a wider financial fraud under her name.

Mumbai Police noted that the same call-forwarding method has previously targeted other public figures, including Shiv Sena leader Shaina N.C., MP Supriya Sule, BJP leader Sambit Patra, and actress Vanita Kharat. Investigators suspect the cybercrime network operates from areas along the Jharkhand-Bihar border.

Police have cautioned citizens against dialling 21 or other star-based codes at the instruction of unknown callers, warning that diverting verification calls allows scammers to hijack messaging apps and other secure accounts.