WHATSAPP users have been warned to check their settings now to protect their privacy.
Tech experts are urging Brits to be careful of a clever scam that has targeted WhatsApp users.
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WhatsApp is always going to be a big target for crooks but there are simple ways to avoid becoming a victim.
This includes heading to the settings and making sure your profile picture is private.
WhatsApp says this is an easy way to keep your identity safe as strangers can’t view the photo or steal it in a bid to trick friends or contacts into believing that they are speaking to you.
The simple change takes just seconds and is definitely worth considering if you’re worried about scams or online threats.
Tap Settings > Account > Privacy > Profile Picture > then change to My contacts.
Perhaps the biggest reason to hide your face from view is the dreaded ‘friend in need’ scam.
This is where the hacker pretends to be a close family member and then asks for money to be transferred due to their phone and wallet being lost or stolen.
Another scam involves a six-digit verification code that WhatsApp gives out when you want to regain access to your account.
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The hacker launches the attack by taking control of one of your contact’s WhatsApp accounts and messaging you pretending to be them.
The thief will message pretending to be your friend around the same time you get a text or email from WhatsApp with a verification code that the hacker has requested by pretending to be you.
This code is only given when you try and make changes to your account.
The hacker – posing as your friend – will pretend they’ve accidentally asked for the verification code to be sent to your number and will ask you to send it over.
You should never share the six-digit code with anyone.
If you do, the hacker will be able to take over your account.
You’ll no longer have access to your account and the hacker can try and scam your friends and read your private messages.
Along with changing your profile picture, WhatsApp has also issued some other good advice to help its billions of users avoid having their accounts hacked.
This includes taking time to think before responding and never sharing codes sent to your phone if you have not asked for them.
Speaking about the safety of its service a WhatsApp spokesperson told the Mirror: “WhatsApp protects your 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.
“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.
“If you get a message from someone who isn’t in your contacts, we give you the option to block or report them straight away.”
