WhatsApp users issued scam warning after ‘people lose life savings’

A man has warned people about a “scary” WhatsApp scam that is convincing people to hand over their money – and he’s urging people to be on their guard against it

WhatsApp might be a straightforward messaging platform that costs nothing to use, but if you’ve got it installed on your mobile, there’s a scam you need to know about that’s currently circulating. TikToker @painfullyhonestnews has issued a warning to “watch out for this WhatsApp scam,” as it’s “fooling so many people in the UK,” and he doesn’t want any more people to fall foul of it.

He revealed that “some people are losing their life savings” to this con, prompting him to raise awareness so others can be prepared and protected. He explained: “So, what is the scam? Well, just picture this, you’re sitting on the sofa, minding your own business, and you get a message, a random message, saying ‘Mum, I need some help’.

“You think, blimey, what’s going on? What’s wrong with Zoe, or one of your children, and you think, blimey, I hope they’re okay.

“And they need money. They need money because something’s happened to them and they need to pay for a taxi or whatever it is.”

But if you simply “send the money thinking you’re helping your son or daughter,” it could spell disaster.

The TikToker warned that fraudsters can “hack your WhatsApp” and if you’ve “done any voice messages” he claimed that they can “gain access to that” to replicate your voice.

There are numerous methods they use to “make it very believable for a lot of people” – which explains why so many are being caught out by this deception.

So, how can you avoid becoming a victim?

He advised the most effective approach is to “always, always, always check with your offspring”.

So, if your daughter sends a message asking for money, “do a video call” to confirm that it’s genuinely her requesting cash and not a fraudster.

Which? has tackled the WhatsApp scams issue on its website, also encouraging people to exercise caution when transferring money.

It states: “Whether it’s the ‘Hi Mum and Dad’ scam, fake job offers or even an account takeover scam, WhatsApp is used by opportunistic scammers.

“WhatsApp allows users to message friends and family all over the world for free. It also enables people to call contacts and use video, audio and images in messages.

“These features are sometimes exploited by fraudsters who impersonate brands, friends and family members in convincing scam messages in an attempt to con you out of your money.

“If you haven’t done so already, add an extra layer of security to your WhatsApp by setting up two-step verification (2SV). You can do this by:

• Opening WhatsApp settings. Tapping ‘account’ > ‘two-step verification’ > turning on or setting up ‘PIN.’
• Then choose and enter a six-digit PIN and confirm it. You can provide an email address to reset two-step verification or choose to skip this.
• Tap ‘next’ > confirm the email address > tap ‘save’ or ‘done.’”