WhatsApp Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Fraud

Over the past few years, WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, especially among teens and young adults. In fact, it’s estimated that over 200 million users have downloaded WhatsApp to their smartphones in India alone, where half of the population doesn’t own a smartphone!

However, with all the popularity surrounding WhatsApp and with so many people on the platform interacting with strangers every day, it’s not too surprising that some people are getting tricked by scammers on WhatsApp. If you’re part of the majority of people who have WhatsApp on their phones, then you’ve probably received or read at least one message from one of your contacts or a random number telling you about a suspicious free service being offered by them or a free money game.

It sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? It certainly does, but many people fall prey to this scam every day. In this post, we’ll show you how to spot these fraudsters and how to avoid falling into their trap.

1) Avoid “Money Doublers”

“Pay 2k to get 4k in five minutes” and so on. Anybody asking you to pay money to them in order to receive twice or thrice the amount without doing any work is a scammer. Legitimate WhatsApp TV channels or business people will never request money from their users unless they are offering a service in return. Anyone who says they can easily double your money is a scammer. Run! It’s unlikely that anything that sounds too good to be true really is. If somebody tells you that all you have to do is send them money and get more money, don’t.

2) “Sure Odds” or “JAMB Runs”

Note that there’s mostly nothing like a fixed match, sure game, sure odd, sure JAMB run, and the likes of them. It can only be a prediction. Most people who pose as advertisers of this or people that can offer it are scammers. Beware! WhatsApp fraudsters are lurking around every corner waiting for their next victim.

3) Look Twice! Alerts or Screenshots of Alerts

If they post screenshots of alerts or send you one, check for misspellings. Your bank wouldn’t have typo errors in their alerts. These fraudsters usually rely on the ignorance of people. So educate yourself.

4) Tweaked Links or Links Ending in “.xyz”

It is important to note that not all .xyz links are inauthentic, but they are mostly used by scammers. Also check for tweaked links like amazon53.com [a fake version of amazon.com or amazon.’A random name’.xyz], which is intended to trick you into thinking it is an Amazon website. Beware! If the link looks different from the usual ones you see on your phone (like a small window instead of an app), the site could be fraudulent. Some other signs include poor grammar, spelling mistakes, and long disclaimers (which might just be hiding spam). If there is no contact information on the site, or at least an email address with a button to contact the website owners, it may be a scammer as well. So beware of any non-official looking sites when links are sent to you. Always do research about the company before giving out personal information.

5) Verify any suspicious message with a reliable source.

Now, this is typically the best approach. It can be beneficial to discuss a message with someone you trust if you have questions about its validity. Chances are, they might have gotten a similar letter or message themselves, or they could know someone who has and would be able to offer advice on what to do next. Alternatively, you could find an answer by searching for your question online. Keep in mind that some information may not be as accurate as other sources, and some websites may try to mislead people into clicking false links that may contain viruses or lead to scam sites. This is why it’s important to think critically about the information we consume online. If you see something on WhatsApp that seems dubious, don’t hesitate to search for more information. If you are unsure of something you read, cross-reference it with different articles. Once again, there are so many unreliable sources out there (and no telling where these stories come from), so take everything with a grain of salt! While some things may be true, others may just be trying to sell you a product or tell you what they want you to hear. It’s always better to get at least two perspectives before making up your own mind. If you’re still not sure what to believe, you should seek help from those close to you-your friends, family members, etc. Even though it may feel like you are the only person experiencing problems with fraudsters on WhatsApp, it’s important to remember that this issue affects many people.

6) Foreign Numbers

Note that foreign numbers starting with +1, or +44, have a higher likelihood of being fake. However, if you don’t know or trust the person on the other end of the line in these cases, then you try to verify to confirm whether they are being honest. If not, we recommend you stay away from suspicious numbers totally. Be careful if an unverifiable foreign number sends you a message so you don’t get scammed.

Other helpful tips include;

• When looking at who messages you on WhatsApp, always check their profile picture first. If they don’t have one, this is an immediate red flag.
• Note that fake profiles will often make themselves look attractive by using a photo of someone else. You should also see what interests they list, as well as their status updates and friends. If everything seems too good to be true, it probably is!
• One thing is for sure is that no one will ever ask for personal information such as bank account details on any social media platform, including WhatsApp, so please do not provide this information under any circumstances!
• You may also find messages saying “Wanna earn $10?”; even though you can click on the link, there’s nothing waiting for you but risk. And when it comes to giving out money, only use reputable websites like PayPal or PayPal Express because anything coming through other unverified sites could result in scams and phishing schemes.
• What about WhatsApp TV frauds? A huge warning sign of a scam here is that sometimes people will post links with no information whatsoever, asking viewers to find out more by clicking on the link. These links could go anywhere, which makes them very risky to open up without knowing where they lead beforehand. So educate yourself before clicking anything.
• If something feels fishy, delete the conversation and keep your distance. Don’t fall for false promises just because you want to believe they’re true!
• Avoid providing too much information in public chat rooms like those found on WhatsApp, e.g., groups.
• Beware of spam messages from unknown sources. When