Billions of WhatsApp users warned over ‘very scary’ message that affects everyone this Christmas – do not ignore
A “very scary” message that could impact anyone this Christmas has alerted billions of WhatsApp users.
After nearly falling for a WhatsApp scam, Coventry mother Kasi Reid sent a warning to other parents.
She stated that a man who claimed to be a member of the parents’ club at her son’s school called her on the app.
Then, in order to set up a Christmas party, he provided her a code to join a WhatsApp group.
Fortunately, Kasi realized the code would have actually moved data between their machines before she tried to join it.
She called it “very scary” because he may have accessed all of her WhatsApp information.
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The mother claimed to use the messaging app for “everything” and that it has a wealth of information about both her own mother and her son.
She hung up after growing suspicious while she was still speaking with the man.
She did this after realizing that it might have given him access to all of her private information.
According to Mum Kasi, there may have been a deliberate attempt to scamher.
She went on to say that it was odd that he called during the school rush, which is not something a parent should be doing right now.
Kasi stated: “[He was] dependent on me being distracted and me being rushed so I would give [him] the code.”
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On its website, the National Cyber Security Center offers scam advice.
It recommends reporting strange calls or messages on its website.
WhatsApp introduced a new triple alert function earlier this year in an effort to assist guard against scammers.
You will now see a context card appear if someone you don’t know adds you to a group.
More details about the group, including who added you, when it was formed, and who founded it, will be included in the notice.
Before falling for a possible scam, WhatsApp users can use these three details to determine whether the group is one they want to be a part of.
How to protect yourself from scams
You can prevent falling victim to a scam by remembering these pointers:
- Firstly, remember that if something seems too good to be true, it normally is.
- Check brands are “verified” on Facebook and Twitter pages – this means the company will have a blue tick on its profile.
- Look for grammatical and spelling errors; fraudsters are notoriously bad at writing proper English. If you receive a message from a friend informing you of a freebie, consider whether it s written in your friend s normal style.
- If you re invited to click on a URL, hover over the link to see the address it will take you to does it look genuine?
- To be on the really safe side, don t click on unsolicited links in messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact.
- Be careful when opening email attachments too. Fraudsters are increasingly attaching files, usually PDFs or spreadsheets, which contain dangerous malware.
- If you receive a suspicious message then report it to the company, block the sender and delete it.
- If you think you’ve fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online fraud reporting tool.
WhatsApp users can then choose whether to remain in the group or leave.
Additionally, they get access to a few of WhatsApp’s security features.
Before attempting to trick people into falling for a scam, scammers frequently spread their phishing net widely by adding dozens of numbers to a group chat.
The ruses themselves come in a variety of forms, ranging from employment advertisements to schemes to make quick money.
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If you don’t recognize the person who added you or started the group chat, it’s a dead giveaway that it’s not for you.
If the group was recently formed, it may also raise suspicions.
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