Editor,
Through the columns of your newspaper, I wish to share a deeply disturbing incident that not only affected me but also financially ruined a dear friend of mine. My intent is to alert fellow citizens of Arunachal Pradesh, especially the youths, to be extremely cautious while using social media platforms like Facebook.
A few weeks ago, I received a friend request from a mutual friend on Facebook. After accepting it, she messaged me, asking for support in a design competition. She sent a link, requesting that I vote for her, and mentioned that I would receive a confirmation code on WhatsApp which I needed to send back to her. Trusting that it was genuine, I shared the code.
What followed was a nightmare.
My Facebook account was hacked, my login email was changed, and I lost access completely. The hackers took control of my official Facebook page and began posting false investment schemes claiming instant profits. They wrote: “I invested 25,000 on online trading company and I was credited 200,000 as profit in less than 3 hours…” along with a WhatsApp link for others to contact.
The most heartbreaking part: a friend of mine, believing it was truly me, invested Rs 1,50,000 – money she had saved through years of hard work. She lost it all to the scam.
I am writing this letter to caution everyone. Do not ever share any code sent by Facebook or WhatsApp with anyone. Never click on suspicious links, even if sent by a friend. Hackers are becoming more creative and manipulative.
I urge the local administration, law enforcement, and the cybercrime cell to take stronger steps to spread awareness and support victims. I also request my fellow citizens to verify any suspicious message or financial request, especially when it comes via social media.
Let this incident serve as a lesson, so that no one else falls into such traps.
Bage Kamsi
H Sector, Itanagar