WhatsApp is an application that allows you to message and call your friends and family worldwide. However, due to a new scam, the next WhatsApp message you receive may come from a cybercriminal instead of a trusted contact.
To start the scam, a cybercriminal will send you innocent WhatsApp messages to earn your trust. After you start talking to the cybercriminal, they will try to convince you to call a phone number that begins with a *67 prefix. If you call this phone number, your mobile carrier will forward your personal phone number to the cybercriminal’s phone.
Then, the cybercriminal can use your phone number to get a temporary WhatsApp password, reset your existing password, and lock you out of your account. Once the cybercriminal has access to your WhatsApp account, they can impersonate you and convince your contacts to send them money.
Don’t fall for this scam! Follow the tips below to keep your WhatsApp account secure:
- Be cautious of who you call on WhatsApp. Only call phone numbers that belong to trusted contacts.
- Verify that the call forwarding prefix matches the country that your contact is calling from. For example, if your contact has a United States phone number, their phone number should include the American prefix *72.
- Learn about common social engineering red flags. Educating yourself on common scam tactics can help you avoid social engineering attacks.
Article provided by KnowBe4, a leader in Security Awareness and Training Solutions. You can sign up to receive their newsletter directly here.
