Courier call turns into WhatsApp hack: How Kannada star Upendra and wife Priyanka fell victim to digital scam

Sandalwood couple Upendra and Priyanka Rao fell victim to a sophisticated cyber scam after a fraudulent delivery call led them to unknowingly hack their phones.

In a chilling reminder of how fast digital fraud is evolving, Sandalwood power couple Upendra Rao and Priyanka Upendra fell prey to a sophisticated cyber scam that left even their closest family and friends misled.

Upendra and his wife contacted the cyber helpline 1930, alerted their followers on social media.(X/@nimmaupendra)

What appeared to be a harmless courier-related call quickly escalated into a nightmare, exposing how a single dialled code can hand over full control of a mobile phone to fraudsters.

The incident began when Priyanka, expecting a delivery from a Dubai-based online platform, received a call around 10 am from a man claiming to be an executive associated with the order, Times of India reported.

He convinced her to dial a code, 219279295167#, assuring her it would help the delivery agent locate her address. “I initially suspected, but in chaos, I followed the instructions of the fraudster. I put the code and dialled. My iPhone got hacked. I thought it was hanging and immediately took Uppi’s phone and input the same code. His phone also got hacked,” Priyanka recalled according to the publication.

Even the couple’s staff member, Mahadeva, who lent his phone in a bid to help, ended up compromised. All three devices had their calls forwarded to the fraudster’s number, allowing him to install WhatsApp on their accounts and message their contacts.

The scam unfolded with a simple but effective script. From Priyanka’s WhatsApp account, the fraudster texted: “Hi, needed some help pls.” Once recipients replied, the follow-up read: “There will be 55k in your account now? I will return in just 2 hrs. My UPI is not working properly. It's very urgent now.

At least four people, including the couple’s son and his friends, fell for the deception and transferred money via UPI. “My son thought his mother was in some need and transferred the money immediately,” Upendra explained.

Realising the scale of the fraud, the couple sprang into action. They contacted the cyber helpline 1930, alerted their followers on social media, and filed a formal complaint at Sadashivanagar police station.

Priyanka admitted the lapse, “It was my mistake to dial the code. Yesterday, I saw someone dub my voice using AI and discussed it with Uppi. The fraudsters may also send phishing links and create fake social media accounts.”