WhatsApp is the most used instant messaging app. That is why scammers use this app to cheat people. The newest addition is Whatsapp Friend In Need scam.
This is also because WhatsApp has the largest user base across the world as compared to other social media apps.
Let us tell you that recently a scam is going on the app which is also becoming quite viral among the users. Whose name is “friend in need” Many users have reportedly received messages from their friends that they need their help. In the UK, most users are receiving this message on WhatsApp.
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What is Whatsapp Friend In Need scam
Scammers are targeting users as friends in need of help. On WhatsApp, users have received messages from friends claiming that they are stranded abroad and need money to go home. According to the UK’s National Trading Standard, 59 percent of people living in the UK have received such scam messages.
WhatsApp has acknowledged and alerted users about the “Friend in Need” scam. “Scammers send messages that come from a friend or family member asking for personal information, money, or a six-digit PIN,” said Lewis Baxter, head of the National Trading Standards scam team.
WhatsApp appeals to users
Appealing to users to beware of such messages, WhatsApp has said, ‘If you get any suspicious message. Calling or requesting a voice note is the quickest and easiest way for someone to check who they are. A friend in need is a friend worth calling.
This is how the “friend in need” scam works
When scammers gain access to your friend’s or family’s number, cyber security experts have said that the messages are sent from hacked accounts, numbers. Such messages are sent from a hacked number or account of a friend. If your friend’s phone is lost, then there is a possibility that his phone is used by thieves, scammers to send such distress messages to his contacts.
Save Yourself from Whatsapp Friend In Need
If you receive a message from your friend asking for money, instead of replying to a text or sending money right away, call your phone. Always check the source before responding to any such message. Also, pay attention to the links used by scammers in such suspicious messages.