Cyber thugs hijacked Kapurthala woman’s identity to threaten Punjabi star singer Amar Noori.

Ludhiana: An extortion attempt on famed Punjabi singer Amar Noori has been unmasked as a sophisticated WhatsApp hijacking scheme, leading police to release three suspects originally detained in the case.Khanna police have confirmed on Wednesday that the threats received by the actress and singer were part of a cyber-fraud operation that weaponised a local woman's social media account through an "OTP trap" laid on Instagram. The investigation shifted gears after detectives interrogated Sandeep Kaur, a Kapurthala woman detained earlier this week.Deputy superintendent of police (investigations) Mohit Singla sid Sandeep Kaur was an unwitting pawn who had engaged with a fraudulent Instagram page promising employment and financial assistance. After contacting a WhatsApp number listed on the page, she was tricked into surrendering a one-time password (OTP), which allowed the fraudsters to seize control of her account, which they then used to contact Noori.Impersonating authorityOnce in control of the hijacked account, the perpetrators contacted the singer while posing as a high-ranking police inspector. They allegedly issued threats in a bid to extort money. "During the investigation, it came to light that the case is related to cyber fraud and an attempt was made to extort money from Amar Noori," DSP Singla said. Police sources have confirmed that Sanbdeep Kaur and two others were released after it was determined she had "no criminal role" and was herself a victim of the scammers.Following the incident, Khanna police issued a public advisory to combat the rise in social media-linked extortion. Never share a One-Time Password with anyone, even if they claim to be from an official govt or tech agency. Be wary of Instagram or Facebook pages offering "easy" jobs or financial aid that require switching to WhatsApp for communication. Enable two-step verification (2FA) in WhatsApp settings to prevent unauthorised logins even if an OTP is leaked.