Tech Desk 
Aug 21, 2024
Scams can happen to anyone, even on popular platforms like WhatsApp with its 2 billion users worldwide. The platform has become an easy target for fraudsters as they have refined their tactics, making it easier for them to deceive users.
To avoid such scams and improve user security, the meta-owned platform has cautioned its users to follow safety measures and tips to protect themselves from malicious activities and suspicious messages aimed at scamming them.
Read more: WhatsApp latest update for Android 2.24.18.2 — What’s new?
Common signs of WhatsApp scams
- WhatsApp scammers usually create a sense of urgency when contacting a user and even pressurise them to pay quickly.
- If someone asks you to tap on a link, activate a new feature through a link, or download an app.
- If they ask you to share your personal information, like credit card or bank account numbers, birth date, or account passwords.
- Scammers contact from a different number and ask to forward a message to other users.
- Similarly, there are typos or grammatical mistakes in their sentences indicating it is a scam.
WhatsApp emphasised that as such scams can happen to anyone, taking safety measures is key to ensuring one does not fall prey.
How to avoid WhatsApp scams
- When you receive messages from someone not in your contacts, the platform will now show you a notification in the message that you can use to determine how to respond.
- These signals will let you know if the person contacting you is already in your contact list, has groups in common, and if their phone number is registered in a different country.
- However, if you find a message suspicious, try not to respond, tap, or forward, or just block and report the sender.
- Lastly, update your WhatsApp privacy settings to choose who can contact you in the future.
