People are being scammed through various tricks on the most used messaging app. Whatsapp has become a platform for cyber fraud nowadays. The recent scam on WhatsApp is the cybercriminals pretending to be family members. Suffolk Trading Standards, a government institute of the UK has warned WhatsApp users that fraudsters are pretending to be one of their family members and targeting them through fake messages.
In a recent incident, a woman residing in Kessingland received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number, claiming to be her daughter. The fraudster tried to convince the mother that she had fallen into the washroom and that this is her new contact number. Con-person requested money from the mother as she was required to pay a bill and she couldn't access her account. Fortunately, the mother didn't fall for the con and called her daughter by other means.
Suffolk County Council shared some losses to WhatsApp scams and other frauds. The Council said, "..It is estimated that Pounds 5 billion to Pounds 10 billion is lost to scams each year in the UK. Scams may occur through phone calls, letters, emails, the internet or at your door."
How to know if it's a WhatsApp scam or not?
- Scammers may pretend to be your family member, relative or friend, always confirm and never fall for that.
- Scammers will try to get your financial details.
- The fraudster will create such a situation and will put you under pressure to fall for the scam easily.
- The scammer will also ask to keep the conversation a secret.
How to avoid being the victim of a scam?
- The scammer will pretend to be your family member or friend, don’t fall for it and verify the identity immediately.
- Try to understand the texting style to know if the person is really your known person or not.
- Never share your OTP even if they seem to be bank employees and never share your bank account information.
- If you get to know the scam or a cyber-fraudster, report them immediately. Users may also report directly through WhatsApp by going to Settings - Help and then Contact Us. Share your situation and report the scam.
