WhatsApp users are being urged to report and delete messages from unknown accounts that pose as official support services for the messaging platform. The scam messages, which feature a profile photo with a verified badge, seek to obtain private information such as credit card details or a six-digit code that could grant access to the user's account.
According to the website WABetaInfo, users should block and report such contacts within the app's chat function. Genuine WhatsApp support services never request credit card details, the six-digit code, or two-step verification PIN. WABetaInfo warned that any request for this information indicates a fake account attempting to scam users.
Earlier this year, users were alerted to the 'Dear Mum' scam, where fraudsters pose as friends or family in financial difficulty. Barclays reported that such scams quadrupled in the last quarter of 2021 compared to the previous quarter. UK Finance data shows losses to scams where victims were coerced into sending money reached a record £355.3 million in the first half of 2021, a 71% increase from 2020.
Kathryn Harnett, policy manager at WhatsApp, advised users never to share their six-digit PIN code and to set up two-step verification for added security. She recommended calling or requesting a voice note to verify the identity of anyone sending a suspicious message.
