Scams on WhatsApp are in full swing, even though the holiday season is almost over. Users of WhatsApp are currently being targeted by two scams. Here’s everything you should know about WhatsApp scams and how they work, as well as how to stay safe.
Rediroff.ru – Never share the link
WhatsApp users are now being targeted by a new scam called ‘Rediroff.ru’. The scam has been reported across the messaging platform for a couple of days now. People’s bank account details and card information are stolen when scammers use the link Rediroff.ru. This link can also infect Windows systems as well as Apple iOS and Android devices. CNBC reports that the attack began as a scam to lure people with promises of free presents.
The scam works as follows – the scammers send a regular WhatsApp message with the nefarious URL. Users are rewarded for completing the survey on the website. Name, age, home address, bank information, and more are among the details they ask for. Once you submit this form, the scammers win! Take our advice! Don’t click on links sent through any electronic platform – be it WhatsApp, e-mail, or even text messages. If it seems suspicious, it probably is.
With your personal information, scammers can steal funds from your bank account and even use your credentials to conduct illegal activities that are hard to trace. However, they will put you at the centre of this whirlpool. Once you give them access, the scammers will be able to install more nefarious apps and steal your information. In other words, if you receive a message with a link to ‘Rediroff.ru,’ report it as spam and permanently delete it to avoid accidental clicks.
The awful WhatsApp messages ever: ‘Sorry, who are you?’
Additionally, scammers are contacting potential victims with random texts such as ‘Sorry, who are you?’ and then building a rapport with them over time. Once they have earned the trust of a user, they begin mining their personal data – including their name, occupation, age, and more – on WhatsApp. These scammers appear to be dishing out compliments to users in order to win their favor.
Next step? Connecting on social media. For those who don’t know, your social media accounts are basically public profiles that could give a scammer access to your circles and continue the ripple effect. Instagram and Twitter followers, as well as your Facebook friends, are then used by scammers to keep the scam going. Once you give them all they need, including personal photos, they enter attack mode, also known as blackmail.
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