WhatsApp Scam
The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) is warning the public about the continued increase in reports about scams where victims are targeted on WhatsApp by criminals pretending to be someone they know – typically their children.
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Criminals will usually begin the conversation with “Hello Mum” or “Hello Dad” and will say that they are texting from a new mobile number as their phone was lost or damaged. They will then ask for money to purchase a new one, or claim that they need money urgently to pay a bill
The criminal will provide bank details for the payment to be made to, with some coming back with further demands for money.
How to protect yourself:
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STOP. THINK. CALL. If a family member or friend makes an unusual request on WhatsApp, always call the person to confirm their identity.
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Ring the old number you have for your family member, several times if necessary to establish their number has changed.
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Set up a password with your family members, so if you get this message you can ask for the password. Or ask them a question only your family member will know the answer to.
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You can report spam messages or block a sender within WhatsApp. Press and hold on the message bubble, select ‘Report’ and then follow the instructions.
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Never share your account’s activation code (that’s the 6 digit code you receive via SMS)
