Sam Pitroda claimed that the hackers had warned him that they would damage his reputation if he did not pay up.
New Delhi:
Sam Pitroda, chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, said on Saturday that the server had been hacked and the hackers had issued a threat demanding payment of tens of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrencies.
“I would like to draw attention to the serious issue that my laptop, smartphone and servers have been repeatedly hacked and severely compromised over the past few weeks,” Pitroda said in an email to ANI.
He also said the hackers warned him that they would damage his reputation if he did not pay tens of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrencies.
“The hackers have threatened to demand payment of tens of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency. If not paid, they will contact people in my network and launch a smear and misinformation campaign to damage my reputation. “I warned you it would start,” he added.
He urged people not to click on or respond to links as they may contain malware that could compromise their devices.
“If you receive an email or message from an unknown email or cell phone that appears to be about me, do not open it, do not click on my links, and do not attach any attachments, as they may contain malware. Do not download (delete) it. It may put your own device at risk.”
He also said he is currently traveling but plans to take immediate action upon his return to Chicago.
“This includes replacing outdated hardware, upgrading software, and implementing strong new security measures to protect your digital presence. We apologize for any inconvenience or concern this situation may cause. I apologize,” Pitroda said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
