Police warn of scam aimed at WhatsApp users
The Bermuda Police Service is warning residents of a worldwide scam affecting users of WhatsApp.
The scheme aims to gain finances from the users’ contacts while stealing private details.
Calls and messages on the app are typically sent from unknown or compromised contacts, with a focus on extracting money as well as personal information, including WhatsApp access credentials.
Police said to ignore requests for personal or financial information, and to consider two-step verification to help ramp up device security.
WhatsApp advised looking for telltale signs of a scam, including typos and grammatical errors in messages, calls for downloading an app or activating a new features through a link, as well as requests for personal information.
WhatsApp said: “When you receive messages from someone that is not in your contacts, we will show you signals in the message that you can use to determine how to respond.
“These signals will let you know if they're your contact, if you have groups in common and if their phone number is registered in a different country.
“From there, you can decide if you should reply, add them as a contact, block them or report them.”
Suspected cybercrime can be reported through the BPS online community-reporting portal at portal.police.bm.
Practical Bermuda Police Service recommendations:
• Be suspicious of any WhatsApp calls or messages from users you have not already met face-to-face
• Ignore requests for personal or financial information
• Consider taking steps to secure your WhatsApp account through two-step verification and e-mail confirmation
Official WhatsApp security advice:
• About suspicious messages and scams: faq.whatsapp.com/2286952358121083
• How to protect yourself from suspicious messages and scams: faq.whatsapp.com/573786218075805
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