SINISTER texts pretending to be friends and family are the latest tactic used by scammers on WhatsApp.
Merciless fraudsters are increasingly posing as loved ones in a worrying trend known as the ‘friend in need’ scam.
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Con artists gather basic information about a person before approaching a relative or mate urgently asking for money.
Perpetrators desperately play on emotions, making out they need money now for an emergency situation.
To get around the fact they’re not using the person’s real phone number, they pretend that they aren’t able to use their usual mobile number for some reason – suggesting it’s either broken or they’ve got no battery.
Several reported cases have seen innocent victims tricked out of thousands.
“If you’re contacted out of the blue from a number you don’t recognise but the person is claiming to be someone you know and are requesting financial assistance – stop and think as it could protect you and your money,” warned Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Craig Mullish, from the City of London Police.
“These messages may appear genuine but your money could end up in the pockets of a criminal, so it’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests.
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“Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
“Try and reach out to the person directly by another form of communication to confirm that their request for help is genuine as it could be a scam.”
There have been signs that people are wising up to the scam, with one recent incident of a man who asked a simple question to catch the fraudster out.
It comes as WhatsApp launched a joint campaign with the National Trading Standards urging people to stop, think and call.
“WhatsApp protects our users’ personal messages with end-to-end encryption, but we can all play a role in keeping our accounts safe by remaining vigilant to the threat of scammers,” said Kathryn Harnett, Policy Manager at WhatsApp.
“We advise people never to share their six-digit PIN code with others, not even friends or family, and recommend that all users set up two-step verification for added security.
“And if you receive a suspicious message (even if you think you know who it’s from), calling or requesting a voice note is the fastest and simplest way to check someone is who they say they are.
“A friend in need is a friend worth calling.”
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In other news, the naughtiest emoji combinations have been revealed.
Tinder has revived the classic ‘blind date’ experience with a virtual twist.
And TikTok has announced new rules, banning users who deadname or misgender others.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
