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WhatsApp is one of the biggest cross-platform messaging app that definitely has made the lives of people easier despite few of the scams it has undergone in the past. Now, recent reports by The Independent reveals it to be the target of another scam that gains access to the personal information of all users involved without their consent.
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As per reports, the malware that has affected WhatsApp deceives and redirects users to a discount page which then asks for personal information. Once the information is filled by the user, he is redirected to a fake website which infects the phone allowing the hacker to infiltrate and obtain all the personal information with quite an ease. The users believe it to come from a friend and hence, they do not suspect.
Kaspersky Lab principal security researcher David Emm said,"WhatsApp’s prevalence in India and Europe has caught the attention of scammers and we have noted that this WhatsApp scam has been actively circling for some time. It ‘speaks’ several languages so the attacks can be customised for each market.” He further adds “The message convinces the user to forward the message to 10 contacts, so he/she can receive a certain promotion (such as £5 discount at Starbucks, Zara etc).”
The messaging app crossed over a billion users recently, and with such a large number of users globally, the effects of this scam can be far-reaching. The forwarding of the message further enhances the promotional value giving the spammers an advantage. Last year too, such a scam occurred when WhatsApp started testing the call-in feature. Similarly, several cases were reported last month too where Android users who were trying to update their messaging app, accidentally installed malware losing their personal data.
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As an add-on, the company even removed it's $1 Annual subscription fee and the spammers even used this info to spread out their malware. As per the company, the only way to avoid such malware is to contact the friends in-person through another medium just to sure of the legitimacy of the link. It’s best to avoid clicking on any links unless verified by the trusted sender.
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