WhatsApp users are receiving fake messages from scammers pretending to be family members to steal money. Beware of this scam, it can cost you a huge amount of money!
WhatsApp users are being warned of a new kind of scam, and this time, scammers are posing to be a family member to steal money. A UK Express report brings attention to this horrific WhatsApp scam in the UK that has the ability to steal over 1,000 Euros from victims. The latest WhatsApp scam is the one where these cybercriminals pretend to be family members to gain your trust and ask for money to help deal with an emergency. Such a scam has been there for a long time, and now, after a lull, it is back with more worrying aspects than ever.
This WhatsApp scam was spotted by Hertfordshire Police which found that several scammers posing as kin of the WhatsApp users claimed that they lost their phone and asked for the money to deal with the situation. The report quoted Police which claims that some residents have already lost 1,000 Euros while claiming to be the son/daughter or another family member of the victim. They text from a different phone number and say that they have lost or damaged their phone. Further, they request financial help on an urgent basis while emotionally blackmailing them. It is so real that it can fool anyone! You can be the next target too!
To make sure that does not happen, just follow these tips to avoid being a victim of this hideous WhatsApp scam.
What you should do to avoid being the victim of a WhatsApp scam
- The Hertfordshire force shared some tips in case you receive a message on WhatsApp claiming to be someone you know asking for money. At such a moment, it is best to take a pause and try to contact the family member directly.
- Try to verify their identity while asking for information that is only known to you and your family.
- WhatsApp has also raised several red flags to watch out for such a scam. Always, look out for grammatical or spelling mistakes. Writing style can be another method to know if the person is really your relative or not.
- If the message asks you to tap on a link or activate new features through a link, then you should be cautious and refuse.
- If they are asking you to share your personal information or banking information such as credit card or bank account numbers, or more, refuse to do so.
