In this day and age, scams aren't a shocker to anyone with thousands circulating each day - and many of them obvious.
Whether it's covid, home insurance or your recent phone bill - every person if bound to have had at least one form of spam text or email reminding them that they need to do something by clicking on the link provided.
But sadly scammers are getting smarter and are looking at more subtle ways to con people out of their hard earned money through website that seem legit - only for the victim to later realise that one tiny error which should have been a red flag.
Amid several covid scam warnings, a fresh one has now been issued - and this time it's all about WhatsApp.
According to Liverpool Echo, the number of WhatsApp scams has soared by 2,000% in the past year after an analysis from Lloyds Bank and on average, victims of the scams lost are said to have lost a whopping £1,950 each.
In addition, around 59% of people are said to have received a message-based scam in the last year or know someone who has, according to a new awareness drive launched by WhatsApp in partnership with National Trading Standards.
Because of this, the bank has now issued a warning about how to spot these clever fraud messages which may involve getting a 'personal' text such as a friend or family member needing money after they lost their card or ran out of money.
They won't use your name but instead refer to you as 'mum' or 'dad'.
Lloyds Bank said: "The story they tell can vary, but most often they will claim that because it is a new phone, they don’t have access to their internet or mobile banking account, and therefore they need urgent help with paying a bill."
The banking giant has issued the following guidance to stay safe from scammers:
- Be wary of any messages you receive from numbers which aren't already stored in your contacts, even if it appears to be from someone you know
- Don’t be rushed into anything – first of all contact the person on the number you already have stored in your contacts to check if the story is true
- If you can’t get hold of them, you can verify the identity of the person sending the message by insisting you speak to them before transferring any money
- Remember if it is a genuine family member or friend, they won’t mind you taking these steps to stay safe
Liz Ziegler, Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds Bank, said: "Organised criminal gangs are always inventing new ways to dupe people out of their hard-earned cash, and the emergence of the WhatsApp scam over the last year shows the depths to which these heartless crooks are prepared to sink.
"This is a cruel scam which preys on someone’s love for their family and friends, and that natural instinct we all have to protect those closest to us. With fraud on the rise it’s vital that people are aware of the warning signs and how to stay safe.
"Never ever trust a message from an unknown number without first independently verifying the person’s identity, even if it claims to be from someone you know. Always insist on speaking to someone before sending any money."
