WhatsApp users have been urged to be wary of a new scam.
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)Whatsapp users are urged to be wary of a new scam involving fraudsters posing as WhatsApp Support.
WABetaInfo, a blog dedicated to news about the messaging app, alerted its readers to the scam on April 23.
According to the blog, a WhatsApp user was contacted by a fake account that was trying to steal their information.
So what is the latest WhatsApp scam and how can you avoid getting caught out?
What is the WhatsApp scam?
The social media scammers are reportedly posing as the official WhatsApp Support account to con users out of personal information.
Their username and profile picture may look just like the support account, but–crucially–they don’t have the verified badge that any official account will have.
Some scammers may include the verified badge in their profile picture, but users should not fall for this.
Posing as the official WhatsApp account, the scammers may ask users for personal information.
They may ask for a verification code to gain access to their account details or might even ask for their credit card details, as proof of ID.
How to report a WhatsApp scammer
If a scammer posing as the WhatsApp account contacts you, you should block and report them.
Report a scammer by long pressing on a single message, opening the context menu, and hitting “report.”
When you report an account, WhatsApp will receive the last five messages sent to you, as well as the user’s ID and details about the message, such as when it was sent, and the type of message.
To block them,open the chat and simply tap “block”. They will no longer be able to send you messages.
Learn more about how to stay safe online and protect yourself from scams.
