A warning has been issued to WhatsApp users after the UK reported a 2,000 per cent increase in scam cases, according to experts.
Since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago, the number of scam calls, texts and emails has seen a sharp increase as fraudsters took advantage of people using more technology from home.
The latest scam has seen hackers use the messaging service to steal money from users, with some reporting to have lost almost €2,400.
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Using “very personal” messages, scammers have attempted to impersonate family members who have apparently lost their phones and need money to get a new one as they are strapped for cash.
Using words such as “mum” or “dad”, the hacker tries to appear as though they are a child in trouble to start the conversation.
A spokesman for Lloyds Bank in the UK told Wales Online: “The story they tell varies 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.”
To identify scams, look for the following signs:
- Unsolicited contact from a company out of the blue
- A deal that seems too good to be true
- You are asked to share personal details
- You are being pressurised to respond quickly or transfer money quickly
- You have been asked to pay by unusual method, for example, through a transfer service like Western Union…
