WhatsApp scam messages
The normal thing is that we receive secure messages, which come from friends or family and nothing is going to happen. But sometimes, as happens with SMS or messages on social networks, we can also receive some that can be very dangerous. Could steal our data personal or even sneak some malware.
How does this happen? A common method is when an attacker talks to us on WhatsApp using some excuse for it. For example, speaking as if they were sending a message to another person and saying that they have been confused, speaking impersonating the identity of a supposed company or person, sending an offer…
Some common messages tend to be of the type to start a conversation by saying that you have changed your number, that you are going to arrive in Spain after being away on a trip, etc. They look for the victim to respond, to ask who it is, and in this way begin to collect personal data, such as the name, in addition to confirming that it is an active number. For example: “Hello! I have changed my number. I arrive in Spain tomorrow. Shall we stay and tell me how the family is?
If all goes well and the victim itches and really believes that they are talking to someone they know, such as a family member, who is traveling abroad, the conversation continues and at some point the attacker may ask for money for a supposed flight that you have to catch and you have run out of anything on the card or any similar strategy.
Another message is when an attacker pretends to be a relative, such as a child of the victim, saying that he has lost or broken his mobile and is using a friend’s phone. He is going to ask them to send money to an account so that he can supposedly get a ride home or even pay to repair the phone.
Fake files by WhatsApp
But through WhatsApp they could also send files that are actually malware. Sometimes it even comes to us from a trusted contact, as they might have been the victim of a previous attack and are now forwarding something to all contacts. It may be a link, a message with a supposed discount code or offer, a file…
To avoid falling victim to these attacks, it is essential to keep common sense. As you can see, they use social engineering to scam through messages pretending to be another person or company. Avoid interacting with messages of this type and always in case of doubt make sure before speaking.
Also, in the case of files that arrive via WhatsApp and may be a fraud, avoid opening them if you don’t know 100% that they are reliable. You can use a good antivirus to help you scan documents that might be malicious. In case you make a mistake, it will notify you so you don’t have problems.
In short, as you can see, a simple WhatsApp message can be dangerous. It is important that you are prepared and avoid making mistakes. Always keep common sense, keep everything up to date and use security software. There are different types of Phishing on mobile and WhatsApp is a common medium.
