WhatsApp fraud is increasingly common in the Netherlands. Criminals catch money by, for example, posing as a family member via the messaging service. With these six tips you protect yourself against this fraud.
More and more victims of WhatsApp fraud via smartphones
The number of reports of WhatsApp fraud has quadrupled this year compared to 2019. On October 1, 2020, the Fraud Help Desk had received 9,605 reports of fraud attempts. People over 55 are especially vulnerable, because they are the most likely to fall for it. In 242 of the reports, criminals were even able to take over the entire WhatsApp account.
Friend-in-need fraud is now the most common. Fraudsters pose as a friend or family member who just got a new number. They then ask for money to be transferred and of course promise to pay it back. To keep themselves out of the picture, the crooks use bank accounts of others. For example, the account of an unsuspecting person is abused, or they use accomplices.
Sometimes criminals manage to take over an entire WhatsApp account. They then contact you about an open advertisement from you on Marktplaats, for example, and they try to steal the verification code with an excuse. As soon as you forward this, the scammers can take over your WhatsApp and use it to scam your contacts.
Cybercrime is even on the rise to such an extent that people are more likely to suffer financial damage from an online incident than to be victims of property crimes, vandalism or violence. This emerges from a report from the Central Planning Bureau, which looks at the economic risks of cybercrime every year.
This is how you recognize and prevent WhatsApp fraud
It is therefore important that you recognize WhatsApp fraud so that you do not give your cyber criminals a chance. There are several ways you can recognize WhatsApp fraud. We list them for you.
1. Never provide a WhatsApp verification or registration code
Never provide data if a person who approaches you suddenly asks to forward a previously received (WhatsApp) code. Scammers usually search for your number online via Facebook or Marktplaats, for example. Then they change the number in WhatsApp to your number on their own phone. To complete this registration, they need a code. You will receive this on your iPhone for checking.
Then they approach you for an advertisement or something else, for example, and a little later they use the excuse that they just sent you a code that was intended for their husband, for example. They ask them to forward them. With this they register on WhatsApp as you, and they can scam others under your name. So this is a form of identity fraud.
Never cooperate with this, by never giving or forwarding such codes to others. You can recognize a verification code because the text message also states that it is a WhatsApp registration code.
2. Do not trust: acquaintance with unknown number
If the scammer pretends to be an acquaintance, you will usually receive a message from an unknown number with the WhatsApp profile picture of a friend. This so-called acquaintance asks, for example, because of money shortage if you can advance something, and that it is in a hurry.
3. Call the ‘known’
When you try to call the person, the scammer claims that this is not possible, or it turns out to be impossible for some reason. In such a case, call the person who is the fake acquaintance from your own address book. That way you know immediately if something is wrong. Do not transfer money until you can reach them.
4. Ask personal questions
The conversation is fairly general and ultimately concerns the money the ‘acquaintance’ needs to pay for an outstanding bill, for example. In such a case, ask personal questions to which a stranger cannot know the answer.
For example, about where you last ate together, which car you have (unless photos of this can be found publicly online) or something else specific. If the potential scammer is avoiding these questions or not knowing them, you are almost certainly dealing with a cyber criminal.
5. Look up the number
Find the number that will contact you. The number may already be known to be fraudulent. Cyber ​​criminals sometimes use a particular phone number several times in a row before switching to a new number. If the phone number is on a blacklist, then you know enough of course.
6. Shield your profiles
Many scammers collect phone numbers via Marktplaats and pick profile photos from social media. Never put your telephone number on public when you place an advertisement on Marktplaats.
In addition, shield your Facebook and Instagram profile as much as possible. Also, make sure your Facebook friends list is not public. Not only your information, but also names, mutual reactions and information about family and friends can be used during the fraud trick.
Victim of WhatsApp Fraud? Make a declaration
Have you still fallen victim to WhatsApp fraud? Always report this to the police. From the research of CPB it appears that the number of reports of cybercrime is still relatively low.
The perpetrators are often difficult to trace, are abroad and there is also a shortage of investigators who specialize in cybercrime. As a result, the chance of being caught is low and a suspect is found in less than five percent of the cases.
That does not mean that reports of WhatsApp fraud and other cybercrime are not taken seriously by the police. For example, new laws now give the police more powers to track down such suspects.
Read more articles on WhatsApp security
- Guide: 4 tips to secure WhatsApp
- Protect your WhatsApp data with two-step verification – that’s how it works
- This way, you can secure WhatsApp with Touch ID or Face ID in 4 steps
- 5 questions and answers about hacks on WhatsApp