Unfortunately, WhatsApp fraud still occurs, but how can you prevent this type of fraud? In this article, we provide tips on how to recognize fraud via WhatsApp and what to do about it.
It will come as no surprise to many that scammers like to carry out their practices via WhatsApp. Criminals cleverly misuse information that is publicly available. For example, someone can ask you for money back via WhatsApp. How can you prevent WhatsApp fraud and how do you recognize if something is not quite right? In this article we give you tips against WhatsApp fraud.
Have you received a WhatsApp message from someone you are 100% sure is a scammer? As long as you don't transfer money or do any other actions, you're safe. If someone has your telephone number, this does not mean that they also have access to your bank account, for example. Follow the steps in this article and you should be fine. Have you transferred money yet? Then report this to the police.
- Recognize
- Prevent (checklist)
- Report fraud
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recognize WhatsApp fraud
On a normal day you suddenly receive a message from a friend or family member via WhatsApp, who explains that there is a malfunction at the bang, which means that money cannot be transferred temporarily. The person asks if you can therefore advance some money. It all seems reliable, partly due to the set profile picture and the tone of the messages. But appearances can be deceiving, because in many cases it concerns a criminal who tries to extort money from you in a devious way. In other words: you are dealing with WhatsApp fraud.
In such cases, criminals misuse public information about you and your friends. They get your phone number thanks to your Marktplaats or Facebook profile, for example, where your phone number is public. They can see who your friends are via your Facebook profile and they can then use existing photos as a profile photo, so that it looks like you are dealing with someone you know. Fortunately, there are simple steps to spot this type of fraud.
#1 An unknown number is being used
To send WhatsApp messages from a specific phone number, you must always have access to the SIM card and the device that this number belongs to. Because this is not so easy, criminals use unknown telephone numbers for you. If ‘a well-known’ suddenly contacts you via an unknown number, then your alarm bells should ring immediately. If you ask why an unknown number is being used, a somewhat unclear or vague excuse is often given (“My phone is empty”, “I am abroad and had to take another number”). People don't just pick up a new phone number, so keep that in mind.
However, criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated. There are also cases where the real number of your friend is used. However, this is somewhat rarer. It is still important to secure WhatsApp, for example with two-step verification. Fortunately, there are even more ways to spot WhatsApp fraud.
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You can secure WhatsApp in a few simple steps so that you can chat as safely as possible. This is possible, for example, with two-step verification and with Touch ID and Face ID. In this tip you can read everything about WhatsApp security.
#2 Money is demanded
Criminals like this are only after one thing: money. If the conversation soon turns to overdue bills or money problems, you know that something is not right. Especially if this subject has not been discussed with this person before, or if a ‘acquaintance’ calling from an unknown number.
Sometimes criminals also take a little more time to gain sympathy from the victim. Sometimes the conversation only turns to money after a day, after a normal conversation has been had first. But in the end, sooner or later it's always about money.
#3 There's a rush
Another way to recognize WhatsApp fraud is when there is a rush from ‘the known’. For example, think of messages like “I have to pay my bills by next Thursday” or “I am standing here in the middle of nowhere and now I need money to fill up”.
#4 Only communicate via WhatsApp
The last way to spot WhatsApp fraud , is by the way of communication. Via messages with WhatsApp or iMessage it is more difficult to find out whether you are really dealing with the right person. Criminals therefore prefer this method of communication. Calling the telephone number is therefore often pointless, because they do not answer or suppress the call.
Sometimes criminals do answer the phone via the new number. For example, you will only hear “Hello, who am I speaking to?” on the other end of the line. It is the voice of ‘your friend’ or ‘relative’, previously recorded by a criminal and played back from a tape. It will not come to a real substantive conversation. This situation is also rare and only applies to targeted targets.
WhatsApp Fraud prevention
There are more things you can do to avoid becoming a victim of WhatsApp fraud. You can take these seven steps:
- Check number
- Contact us
- Ask specific questions
- Shield profiles
- WhatsApp-specific photo
- Do not provide personal information
- Block the number
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#1 Check the phone number
Check the unknown phone number. You can call the number to check whether the person is answering and whether you are really dealing with that person. If the person does not answer, you can look up the number via Google, for example. Others may have reported the number on forums. Another way is to check the number with other acquaintances whether they have also received this new number. If this number is not known to anyone else and they do not answer, then you are almost certain that you are dealing with fraud.
#2 Try to contact us in another way< /h3>
If calling the number is useless, try to contact that person in another way. For example, call the telephone number that is known to you, send an email or visit that person (if possible). You can also reach the relatives of the acquaintance (for example, the partner or children) to check through them whether ‘the acquaintance’ indeed used a new number.
#3 Ask specific questions
To establish the identity of that person, you can also ask specific questions that you know only he or she knows the answer to. Do not ask him or her to give you your date of birth, because that information can often be retrieved. So only ask questions about things you've never shared online. For example, think of something you told them a week ago or something you did together. If they don't know the answer, you know something isn't right.
#4 Shield your own profiles
To prevent someone from impersonating you, make sure that all your profiles are sufficiently protected. Hide your phone number on Marktplaats. You can also give your number as soon as a potential buyer asks for it, but be careful not to give your number to just anyone. Also take the necessary measures on Facebook by only opening information such as photos and your friends list to your own Facebook friends. Also pass this on to your friends, because only then will you make it extra difficult for the criminals. You can read more about this in our tip about the privacy settings on Facebook.
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#5 Use a WhatsApp-specific profile photo
People usually use the same photo for Facebook, WhatsApp and other accounts. This makes it easy to retrieve a photo and use it for other accounts to increase reliability. It is best to set a separate photo for WhatsApp. This way you can be sure that someone is not so easily trying to contact your friends on your behalf. People often recognize quickly if you use a different profile picture, especially those close to you such as parents, siblings or your best friends.
Do you recognize that the other person is using a relatively old photo as their profile picture? That could be a red flag.
#6 Never give personal information to an unknown number
If you have no way to contact that person other than WhatsApp and can't verify the number, never give out confidential or personal information, and certainly don't transfer money. Never give your own bank details and do not respond to payment requests. If you do, check the account number and compare it with the account number known to you. Isn't that óók right? Then don't.
#7 Block the number and warn your friends and family
The last step to prevent WhatsApp fraud is to block the number and warn friends and family. By blocking the contact in WhatsApp, you prevent the same number from contacting you again. Warn your friends and family so that they do not fall victim to this criminal. A warned person counts for two.
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Blocking people in WhatsApp: this is how you get rid of annoying types
You can block contacts in WhatsApp so that they no longer send you messages. In this tip you can read how to block contacts in WhatsApp and how to unblock them.
Report WhatsApp fraud
Have you become a victim of WhatsApp scam or identity fraud? Then always report it to the police. On all platforms that are widely used, whether it is Marktplaats or WhatsApp, cybercriminals see their opportunity to take your money. Yet not everyone dares to report WhatsApp fraud, which may have to do with shame that people have fallen for it.
Due to the relatively low number of reports and a shortage of detectives specialized in cybercrime, the chance of getting caught is still low. The perpetrators are difficult to trace and often operate from abroad. Yet, thanks to new laws, the police can do more and more. Therefore, take the trouble to report if you have had to deal with WhatsApp scams! And don't be ashamed to tell your friends and family about your experiences so it doesn't happen to them.
More WhatsApp tips? Check out our overview in which we list all WhatsApp tips and guides.
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