Police warn ‘turn off this WhatsApp function immediately’

WhatsApp is extremely useful, but according to the police it is better to turn off a function. Have you already done this?

Police say you should turn off this WhatsApp function

In messages on Facebook the police regularly warns about a function in WhatsApp that you should actually turn off immediately. This is the feature that allows anyone to invite you to WhatsApp groups. They say that this function can pose a risk of phishing, fraud, scams, etc. But how do you turn this off?

Disable automatic group invitations in WhatsApp

  1. Open WhatsApp;

  2. Go to ‘Settings’;

  3. Tap ‘Privacy’;

  4. In the next window, choose ‘Groups’;

  5. Tap ‘My Contacts’ to allow only your contacts to invite you to groups on WhatsApp.

Police warn ‘turn off this WhatsApp function immediately’

The police also provide a number of tips for a few other features in WhatsApp. For example, they recommend that you at least enable WhatsApp’s two-step verification. You do this in the following way.

In WhatsApp, tap ‘Settings’ at the bottom. Then choose ‘Account > Two-step verification’. Then follow the instructions on the screen.

This video is hidden on YouTube by the uploader, which is why you won’t see a preview.

The police also warn never to respond to requests to transfer money from acquaintances on WhatsApp. At least not before you have called or physically spoken to the person. In the video above you can see what happened to WhatsApp user Robert.

WhatsApp fraud still occurs regularly. This also means that malicious parties can still get away with it. With more than 13 million WhatsApp users in the Netherlands, this is not surprising. Sooner or later, fraudsters will encounter someone who falls for it.

Fortunately, the police also indicate what you should do if you have become a victim of WhatsApp fraud. On the police website it says that you should always report it to the police. But it is perhaps even more important to contact your bank immediately, even before you file a tax return. This can help you prevent more scams.

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