Whatsapp Scams: How to Spot Them

WhatsApp has become the world’s most popular instant messaging app. It is used by more than one billion people worldwide, and it is available in over 180 countries.

This messaging app is a good way of communicating with your friends and family, but it can also be bad for you and others. Many WhatsApp users fall victim to scams that could cost them money or even compromise their security.

The WhatsApp scams are getting more advanced every year, which means that it has become harder to identify them — especially if you are not familiar with how they work.

What is a WhatsApp scammer?

A WhatsApp scammer uses the WhatsApp platform to deceive you into providing personal information, paying money, or clicking on links that could infect your device with malware. Many of these scammers live overseas, making it easy to use the app as WhatsApp is used for international communication.

Scammers may use stolen or fake identities to hide their real motives, and often it can be hard to tell whether the person contacting you is legitimate or not. They may also use different accounts, so their messages appear to come from more than one person.

Common WhatsApp Scams and how they start

WhatsApp scams are more common than you think. While these scams occur on WhatsApp, most do not start here. These scams occur on other platforms but are moved over to WhatsApp to avoid having their accounts deleted for scamming. 

The scammers get in touch with you on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. They will then sweet talk you and ask to move the conversation to WhatsApp. Once you give them your Whatsapp number, the conning games begin.

Here are some of the most common WhatsApp scams that you should avoid:

1.) Phishing messages

A phishing message tricks you into clicking on a link that will take you to a fake website and steal your personal information, like your name and password. WhatsApp warns its users about this scam: “Beware of links sent by strangers or businesses you don’t know. Links can be used to steal personal data, like your password or bank account number.”

2.) The Bait and Switch

You get a message from someone you don’t know that says, “Hey, how are you?” and respond, “Good, how are you?” Then they send you back a link to some website or service. This is a classic trap because the scammer has found some way to make it look like they’ve sent their message from someone in your contact list.

3.) The Pretext

This one is similar to the Bait and Switch, but instead of starting with a bland greeting, it begins with something more enticing such as “Hey, did you hear about the video of XXXX I just saw? It’s wild!” Again, these messages are designed to look like they’ve come from someone in your contacts list.

4.) Fake apps

Be wary of any apps that claim they can enhance WhatsApp features, including extra emoji keyboards and more themes and backgrounds. These are likely to be fake and contain malicious content designed to steal your data or hijack your account. Try to resist the temptation to install third-party apps like these.

5.) Lottery scams

If you receive a message claiming that you have won a lottery or prize draw that you don’t remember entering, it’s probably a scam. For example, a few years ago, a fake message claimed that people could win an all-expenses-paid trip by sharing it with 20 contacts and adding their email addresses at the end of the message. There is no prize for forwarding messages, and any other messages that suggest otherwise are likely fake.

What to do if you’ve been scammed

WhatsApp is an instant messaging app that lets you send messages or make calls to anyone on the app. It uses an internet connection and works across different mobile platforms.

If you are being scammed on the app, you must report it immediately so that the company can take action.

Once you have reported the scammer to your service provider, delete the conversation with them. The scammer could contact you again under different names, so it is best to delete the conversation as soon as possible.

5 Tips Just For You: How to Protect Yourself from Whatsapp scams

You can protect yourself from a WhatsApp scam and phishing attacks by following simple tips.

1. Be suspicious of any links you receive on WhatsApp, especially if it’s shortened URLs. Check the full address before clicking on it. You can also use a tool like VirusTotal or Google’s Transparency Report to scan links for malicious content before clicking them.
2. Don’t trust messages that ask you to download an app, such as Viber or “WhatsApp Gold” (which is malware). If you receive this message, simply ignore it.
3. Never give out your personal information, such as bank account details, passwords, OTP codes, or other credentials, to people you don’t know. Genuine companies will never ask you for sensitive information over WhatsApp.
4. Do not download attachments from unknown people on WhatsApp; this could be a way to spread viruses or malware onto your device and compromise your privacy.
5. Be wary of messages with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors — these could be telltale signs of a phishing scam.

Conclusion

Busting a WhatsApp scammer doesn’t have to be difficult. Because many scammers steal photos from influencers online, a reverse image search can help you trace the images back to their source. A reverse image search can be run using the search bar below. Find out if the person you’re talking to is a scammer in seconds. Use the search bar below to get started!