Although Facebook is the application and social network with more millions of followers, whatsapp is used by over 1/4 of the world’s total population, making it one of the most comprehensive and ideal social channels to carry out scams using social engineering and messages that can go viral.
And one of the most used is the one that starts with an innocent “Excuse me, who are you?” that can make us less wary.
WhatsApp scam, the fake message
The popular portal WABetaInfo, experts in anticipating all the news that will reach WhatsApp, have been victims of an attempted scam using the introductory phrase we tell you above. And taking advantage of the situation, they have told one of the ways scammers often use the messaging application to gain advantage and economic advantage.
They usually buy a VoIP number (voice over internet protocol, technology for calling over an internet connection), which may not be used in whatsapp according to the rules, and can have different goals: a specific person or random people.
When they find a valid phone number, they send a message asking, “Excuse me, who are you? I found you in my address book.”
They are always nice to you because they want to earn your trust.
They start asking you simple details like what your name is and what your job is and how old you are, and they give you some compliments to make you feel good.
There will come a time when the scammer will ask you to add him to your social networks like Instagram or Facebook
The scammer(s) try to access your public information on Facebook and Instagram, such as your friends list and other interesting details that could help them steal your money.
Their next move is to blackmail you into saying that they will share some confidential photos (real photos, if you shared them naively, or photos edited with Adobe Photoshop) with your friends and family if you don’t send them money.
Under no circumstances send them money. Since they won’t blackmail you after you receive it, they will ask for more.