WhatsApp Scam Will Try And Steal Your Bank Details

It's an easy mistake to make.
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Another day and so it’s time for another WhatsApp scam and this latest one is proving to be a bit of a nuisance.

Action Fraud has alerted its users to an email claiming to be from WhatsApp that asks you to update your payment information before your annual WhatsApp subscription runs out.

Here is why we think this clever WhatsApp email will catch people out: https://t.co/5O1kf7bY1N 🎣 #FraudFriday pic.twitter.com/s94Sxjtv0i

— Action Fraud (@actionfrauduk) July 14, 2017

While WhatsApp doesn’t charge a subscription, hackers and criminals have still been able to make a killing by spreading the myth that WhatsApp is only free for the first year.

After which the company asks you to pay a small subscription each year.

This latest scam is particularly nasty, not only because on the surface it looks relatively legit but also because of he potential damage it could do.

The email asks you to subscribe to WhatsApp by paying a yearly fee. Of course the real scam here is that in paying the subscription you’ve just handed over all your card details.

Only last month WhatsApp became the centre of yet another major scam, this time involving text messages.

Please be aware this appears to be a fake Whatsapp message sent around as a text message. Do not click on the links. pic.twitter.com/16S5FViNmU

— Paul Myles (@HL10PM) May 21, 2017

In this instance the subscription message was the very similar, but rather than hand over your details the message included a shortened link.

Messages like this are dangerous in a very different way. While they won’t usually ask for your personal details, that link will almost certainly be loaded with a very nasty dose of malware.

If you have an Android phone this can result in ransomware being installed, potentially locking you out of your content until you pay hackers a ransom.

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