The Rise of WhatsApp QR Code Scams:
In recent years, cybercriminals have honed their tactics, and WhatsApp has become an attractive target for their nefarious activities. WhatsApp’s introduction of QR codes as a quick and convenient method for adding contacts has inadvertently opened a door for scammers.
There is some level of trust that a Whatsapp user entrusts on the app. But, the work of scammers is to manipulate the users’ trust placed onto this platform. These attackers exploit QR codes to gain unauthorized access to personal data and wreak havoc on unsuspecting victims.
Understanding The Scam:
The modus operandi of WhatsApp QR Code scams is remarkably simple, yet highly effective. The con artists create convincing pretexts, often masquerading as acquaintances, service providers, or even long-lost relatives. These fraudsters convince their targets into scanning a QR code, claiming that it will grant them access to their exclusive content, offers, or enhanced functionalities.
Little do victims know that by scanning the code, they unknowingly provide scammers with access to their WhatsApp account and all of their data associated with it.
Implications and Risks:
The consequences of falling victim to a WhatsApp QR Code scam can be far-reaching. Once scammers gain control of your account, they can impersonate you, sending fraudulent messages to your contacts or even leveraging your personal information for financial gain. Imagine the damage caused by a scammer gaining access to sensitive conversations, private photos, or personal details stored within your WhatsApp account. Protecting yourself against such a threat is not only advisable, but also imperative.
Defending Yourself Against WhatsApp QR Code Scams:
Fortunately, by adopting a few fundamental practices, you can shield yourself from falling victim to a WhatsApp QR Code scam:
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so do the threats that plague it. WhatsApp QR Code scams represent a growing danger that demands our vigilance.
By familiarizing ourselves with these scams and implementing necessary safeguards, we can fortify our digital defences and protect our privacy.
Remember, prevention is always better than the cure, and an informed user is an empowered one. Stay safe, stay alert, and don’t let the fraud creators tarnish the joy of staying connected through WhatsApp.
An important thing to note is that QR codes are only used to make payments. They were created exclusively for that use. You cannot scan QR codes to receive payments to your account. This is a simple condition that remains widely unknown even today.
When someone scans a QR code, they are directed to the UPI payment page where they need to enter the password before transferring the desired amount. However, in a WhatsApp scam, con artists pressure you into scanning their QR code and entering the requested amount as well as your UPI PIN.
Never indulge in a conversation with anyone you don’t know on WhatsApp. If you receive messages about a lottery or prize you never subscribed to, report and block the account. Never divulge your UPI PIN or bank account information to anyone.
Fake Whatsapp Gold app
WhatsApp Gold: The installation of Whatsapp Gold is a sure shot way of infusing malware on your phone. The functionality of a malware is infecting the personal data saved onto your phone- and that is exactly what it does.
As a medium of communication, WhatsApp has become a fairly important part of our daily interactions, making it one of the most commonly used apps. However, rumours of its upgraded versions, like WhatsApp Plus and WhatsApp Gold, have been circulating on social media and other channels repeatedly. If you receive a message asking you to upgrade to WhatsApp Gold, please be aware that it is a fake redirect.
The WhatsApp Gold version that first appeared in 2016 is returning. Downloading it will only install malware into your phone and may even jeopardise your personal data. If the message suggesting an upgrade states that you will gain access to some premium features, including the ability to send photos to up to 100 people at once or deleting sent messages at any time, it’s a hoax.
If you see an update link at the end, don’t click on it.
Manish Kumawat, Director at Cryptus Cyber Security Pvt Ltd said, “One of the best ways to avoid virus messages is if you have a message asking you to upgrade to WhatsApp with premium features, do not click on it. Also, do not forward such messages. People spread the hoax by spreading such a message, through means of a forward.
However, this is not the first time that hackers have tried to steal users’ personal information through the Fake WhatsApp Upgrade request. Even in the past, these kinds of messages have become viral. In such a case, if you have installed the counterfeit WhatsApp, then immediately reset your phone with a factory data reset.”
Additionally, a viral warning that talks about the “Martinelli video” scam, where downloading the video link could get the malware to be installed on your phone, has been circulating on social media. That warning appears to be misleading people and is a fake forward, as no such video exists.
However, a news.com.au article suggests that the Martinelli video may possibly be a cover for WhatsApp Gold. Both these purported links aim to do the same thing.
Either way, the users must keep in mind that any upgrade to WhatsApp will only be available on Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The tag of ‘forwarded’ that comes along with forwarded messages must also be kept in mind. Users should be cautious while opening such forwarded communications and refrain from doing so themselves.
A person presumably speaks to their daughter on whatsapp and ultimately discovers that they are in touch with a con artist. Let’s see how the scam works out!
Gillian received a WhatsApp message from her ‘daughter’. The message was from her daughter’s real mobile number and whoever was on the other end was chatting to Gillian in a similar way as her daughter would. Gillian didn’t suspect anything to be amiss.
The exchanges continued, before the scammer told Gillian they she’d be “switching to a work phone” and began messaging Gillian from a new number. As Gillian believed she was speaking to her daughter, she thought nothing of it.
From the new number, Gillian’s ‘daughter’ said she was having trouble getting into her online banking and couldn’t pay her bills. Gillian assumed that her daughter was reaching out from her workplace and genuinely could’t access her banking services due to technical issues.
The scammer told Gillian that she needed to pay a utility bill via email, which they then sent to her. Even though the email appeared to be genuine, Gillian was unable to complete the payment when she tried to click through.
When Gillian informed the con artist of this, they asked Gillian to email them her bank information because the daughter “knew how to pay the bill”. As Gillian still believed she was talking to her real daughter, she sent the details across and her bank account was subsequently drained.
According to Gillian, a close friend of hers fell victim to the same con by a con artist posing as a relative. Gillian thinks that in order to mimic her daughter’s behaviour and messaging style, the con artists must have had access to texts on her phone.
If you receive a message from a loved one asking for money on any platform, it’s essential you confirm who they are by either asking a personal question only the actual person would know or by connecting with the person directly.
That tactic joins a list of WhatsApp scams hitting Australians in 2022.
Even if the message is from an unknown number, if you’re a parent, you probably won’t question it if your child asks you to send them money to pay an urgent debt. Hello mum, this is my new number,” it says at the start.
The impostor will go the extra mile on this scam, happily taking time to build trust and use general answers that pretty much fit any situation. Before you know it, you’ve transferred a substantial amount of money that you will never see again.
Key Takeaway
Other people around you, including other family members, might turn victims to the same sort of scams. So don’t be shy about it and let them know what you’ve dealt with, so they won’t have to go through the same experience.