WhatsApp Scams – Ways To Protect Yourself From Scams While Using This App

Recently we all heard about the WhatsApp scam that entailed fraudsters pretending to be family, asking for personal information, money, or your pin number. It came as a huge shock when it was discovered that scammers could message you as a family member of yours under false pretenses and could hack your WhatsApp account just like that.

According to Lloyds Bank’s data, the number of WhatsApp scams has increased by more than 2,000 percent in the last year. Scammers are targeting WhatsApp users and stealing their accounts. It’s a traumatic encounter that leaves victims humiliated and depressed. However, anecdotal accounts of it happening to people shared on social media show that anyone might be deceived.

Every day, WhatsApp’s 2 billion users spend an average of 100 billion messages, and scammers lurk among them, waiting to pounce. WhatsApp has evolved into a simple method for fraudsters to disseminate scam messages via numerous channels with the aim of luring unsuspecting people into an online scam.

WhatsApp cybercrime is on the rise as a result of the platform’s increasing accessibility and popularity, with each victim losing thousands of dollars on average. Fraudsters are making use of the chat network to steal money from users, with the average loss being roughly £2,000.

Creative Tactics Are Used by These Trained Professional Fraudsters 

Typically, the fraudster will send a message from a phone number the victim doesn’t recognize and start a discussion with something vague, like ‘Hi Mum’ or ‘Hi Dad.’ They then claim to have misplaced or destroyed their phone and are now using a different phone number. Concerned for their child’s safety, the victim frequently reacts by questioning if the person on the other end is indeed their son or daughter, unwittingly revealing their child’s name to the fraudster, who then texts back to confirm that it is them.

The fraudster will next say that they have a time-sensitive situation and that they require funds. For example, they have a problem with their bank account and must pay a bill immediately and will ask the victim to transfer money to an account other than the one they regularly use.

There are a variety of WhatsApp scams spreading, and the list is expected to grow as frauds become more sophisticated. Check out the list below for some of the most typical forms of fraud.

Impersonated Fraud

When scammers use WhatsApp to impersonate family members or friends who need money, they are known as impersonated fraud. Fraudsters impersonating a bank, police, or HMRC have grown into this form of scheme. It all begins with a text message from an unknown number claiming to be a loved one who has recently misplaced their phone and received a replacement. It offers them a reason to have a different phone number and allows them to use generic terms like “Mum,” “Dad,” “Sis,” or “Bro.”

If you’ve been scammed through WhatsApp and need help to get your money back, then contact us immediately!

The scenario they give varies, but it usually revolves around the allegation that they can’t pay a bill because they don’t have access to the internet or their mobile banking app since they have a new phone. Any attempts to call to verify their identification are frequently met with claims that the microphone is broken. Victims then deposit funds to an account in the mistaken belief that they are assisting a loved one. Victims lose an average of £1,950 in this way. The fraudster may utilize images of a buddy obtained on social media to attract the recipient, or they may link to events that the user has posted about on sites like Facebook.

Voicemail Hacking

Breaking into a user’s voicemail box to retrieve their verification code is a typical way for cybercriminals to gain access to their WhatsApp account. When you initially install WhatsApp, it sends a text message with a six-digit code to verify your account. A cybercriminal can use stolen account information to set up WhatsApp on their own device. Because the criminal has contact names, profile photographs, and other information, re-defrauding contacts is frequently simple.

When it comes to WhatsApp providing the code through text, they choose the option to pretend they never received the code, which prompts phone verification. Because the fraudster knows WhatsApp will contact the victim’s phone right away, he or she calls the victim at the same time, causing the call to go to voicemail. In most cases, the hacker leaves a voicemail in the victim’s inbox, and the victim fails to change the default pin used to protect the inbox (usually something like 0000 or 1111). The hacker gains access to the WhatsApp verification code and takes over the account.

Harmful Links

External links are a basic scam technique used by con artists to mass-distribute a URL that directs recipients to a browser to complete a survey offering a freebie. The user fills out the survey and provides personal information such as their name, address, email address, and bank account information. This information can be used for identity theft or sold to third parties by the fraudster.

How to Prevent Yourself from WhatsApp Scams

Securing yourself from getting scammed on WhatsApp depends on how you react to suspicious messages keeping your data safe. Never give out your security codes, passwords, or pins to anybody, even family and friends. Be wary of communications requesting money. If you have any doubts, call a friend or family member. If you can’t speak to them, find out something personal about them, such as their middle name or the name of their dog. Under the Contingent Reimbursement Model Code, you may not be entitled to a return if you do not independently verify the person’s identity before making a payment.

For further security, enable the two-step verification option. For further information, consult WhatsApp’s user guide on its website. Never transmit money before you’ve confirmed with a voice call that the person messaging you is who they say they are.

Sources

• https://www.nationalworld.com/lifestyle/money/whatsapp-scam-lloyds-bank-guidance-fraud-3613497
• https://www.themoneyedit.com/consumer-advice/whatsapp-scams
• https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/news/2022/03/phone-users-urged-to-be-aware-of-fake-whatsapp-message-scam/
• https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/whatsapp-scam-warning-cases-rising-26484894