The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing has alerted the public about fraudsters operating under the guise of institutions like the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), and Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC). These fraudsters request verification codes on WhatsApp under the pretense of degree verification, and sharing such codes can lead to WhatsApp accounts being hacked.
According to the FIA, hacked accounts are used to deceive contacts and extort money. The agency advises individuals not to share verification codes with anyone, report suspicious messages or calls to the FIA Cyber Crime Wing immediately, and enable two-factor authentication on WhatsApp for added security.
Recently, several incidents have surfaced where people received messages from a known person’s WhatsApp number or Facebook Messenger. After initial greetings, the messages requested money with a promise to repay it soon. In some cases, requests were made for a small amount from a wealthy friend, indicating potential fraud.
