WhatsApp Scams: How to Spot, Avoid, and Protect

When it comes to “WhatsApp scams”, most people underestimate it, believing that “who will get deceived by easy tricks”. Still, when diverse and sophisticated WhatsApp scams overwhelm you, the chances that you may be a victim are high.

Excels at simple and convenient social interactions, WhatsApp is one of the most widely-used messaging apps worldwide, earning a positive reputation. With its rising popularity and vast client base, increasing scammers are prone to fraud by taking advantage of this mature platform. The fact is that cyber scams on WhatsApp are substantial and if one of your friends or family members gets lured, you will be the next victim soon.

Thus, learning how to spot, avoid, and protect yourself from WhatsApp scams is necessary. This article explores the top 10 most common WhatsApp scams and tips to stay cautious about scams. Share this article with people around you, to protect others is also to protect yourself.

Part 1: What Are WhatsApp Scams?

WhatsApp scams refer to fraudulent schemes used by scammers or attackers to lure you to perform several illegal activities. They may first locate targets on WhatsApp, then send them messages that urge them to fund as instructions.

You may fall victims of these targets because of the convincing words and information that those scammers use. They can fake as your close people and exploit your sympathy. WhatsApp scams either con you out of your money through step-by-step luring, steal your account to reveal private information, or hack your software outright. So many new tricks make you have to pay attention.

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Part 2: Top 10 WhatsApp Scams to Watch Out For

Watch out! This part will reveal the top 10 most common WhatsApp scams you should be aware of. Always remember being cautious and think over before WhatsApp scams causing any severe damage to you and the ones you care.

1.WhatsApp Gold Scam

WhatsApp Gold scam is the timeless one that scammers will not get tired of in the past decade. It usually send you an invitation message, claiming that WhatsApp Gold is the premium version of the current WhatsApp and offers versatile and superior features like enhanced security, video calling, and new emojis. A link is included in this invitation, attracting you download and upgrade your WhatsApp through it.

The reason why this seemly poor trick works for many people is that, the message looks very official, making you believe the existence of WhatsApp Gold, even though it doesn’t. Once you fall for it and click the unknown link, it leads you to a fake website. Or worse, directly install malware on your device and steal your data, causing financial damage.

Message Example:

Hey! Have you heard about WhatsApp Gold? It’s an exclusive version used by celebrities with special features! Download it here.

Your WhatsApp account will be deactivated soon! Upgrade to WhatsApp Gold now to keep your account active. Click here to update.

2.Impersonation Scam

Impersonation scam is also known as “friend and family scam”. Scammers will create a fake WhatsApp account and pretend someone you trust, maybe your family members, close friends or colleagues, to trick you into sending money

They usually message you like “Hi mom/dad, I can’t access my phone and this is my new number”, or “Hi mom/dad, my phone is almost dead, I borrowed my friend’s phone to touch you to...”. After building the trust with you, then they will make up an emergent story, asking for your urgent help, including a bank transfer or verifying a code. To convince you, the scammer may use AI to generate a corresponding voice or video.

Message Example:

Hi Mom, my phone broke, and I’m using a temporary number. Can you send me some money? I need to pay an urgent bill!

Hey Dad, it’s me. I lost my wallet while traveling, and I need $500 urgently. Can you help?

3.Romance Scam

Romance scam refers to the scammers fabricating a super charming or rich profile image and sending messages to indicate that they are interested in a serious romantic relationship. Senders are willing to take a long time to gain your trust. When the time is right, they will take advantage of your feelings for them to defraud.

To con your money smoothly, they will utilize sweet language, compliments, consolation, and create emotional resonance with you. Once they build a reliable relationship with you, it’s very close to steal from you.

Message Example:

My wife passed away, and I’m raising my child alone. I’ve never met someone as caring as you. Can you help me with my child’s medical bills?

Hey darling, I’ve never felt this way before. You are the love of my life! I want to visit you, but I need help with my travel expenses.

4.Lottery Scam

The Lottery scam is one of the most common WhatsApp scams that cybercriminal employs to defraud your money or personal information. This type of scam often send you message informing that you have won a big prize, a large amount of money or a lottery.

To make this surprising lottery more real, the sender may be fake as an official-looking company, with highly imitated reference number and logo, luring you to believe that “you are the lucky winner”. To redeem this prize that you didn’t win, the scammer will require you to provide name, address, ID details, or bank details. Some malicious links may also be contained in the message.

Message Example:

Congratulations to you, your profile go was announce winner of part of my giveaway program and hereby you are been awarded a cash prize of $30,000. Are you ready to claim your winnings now?

Congratulations! Your mobile number won a car & cash prize from Coca-Cola’s 150th Anniversary Lucky Draw! Reply with your full name & address to claim.

5.Job Offer Scam

Similar to the lottery scam, the essence of job offer scam is to lure you with good things, making it a noticeable WhatsApp scam to watch out for. Scammers prefer to send you a unique job offer with a high salary and easy work.

If you suddenly get a good job opportunity from nowhere, especially that it grants you great benefits, just ignore it. Sometimes you can’t even judge this scam, for scammers will proceed with a real job interview, making you believe that you get this job with your own capability. Then they will require you to demand upfront payments for training or working.

Message Example:

Congratulations! You have been selected for an interview. We found your profile on LinkedIn and are impressed with your qualifications. To confirm your participation, send us a $100 deposit for interview registration.

Hi, I’m Jane from Recruitment Agency. We can offer you a starting salary of $4,000/month. Please send your resume and a copy of your ID to proceed with the interview. We will also need a processing fee of $200 to finalize the application.

6.Phishing Scam

Phishing scam is a little difficult to identify at first sight. It claims to be a renowned or official support team, including Amazon, Netflix, and WhatsApp. Leaving message with very urgent words like “Your account will be suspended” or “Verify your identity to avoid losing access”, it attaches a phishing link.

A majority of people will click that link due to worrying about something wrong with their accounts. However, when you simply click on the link, you won’t lose much. But next step, it asks for your login details and credit card information. Once you enter it, scammers will hack your WhatsApp account immediately and steal money from you.

Message Example:

Dear Customer, we have detected suspicious activity on your account. To avoid account suspension, please verify your account information by clicking the link below. Failure to comply within 24 hours will result in permanent suspension.

Your WhatsApp verification code is: 123456. If you did not request this, please click on the link below to confirm.

7.Charity Scam

Charity scams on WhatsApp can exploit your emotions for disaster or tragedies to request a money donation. The scammer will impersonate a well-known organization like UNICEF or Red Cross sending you an urgent message like “Help me now!” to pressure you into donating.

Besides, it shows you a social media profile with various bitter story background faked by fraudsters. They may claim that they are helping those in need during natural disasters, war, or a religious activity. Usually an unverified payment link is followed by their sad story, asking you to donate money. Click it and you may lose your credit or card details.

Message Example:

Urgent! Our team is on the ground helping victims of the recent earthquake. We need your help to provide basic necessities like food and water. Donate now via PayPal or bank transfer. Every dollar counts! Contact me for more details.

URGENT! We have an emergency after a flood. Please help by donating food, clothes, or money. Thank you for your generosity.

8.Tech Support Scam

In this type of WhatsApp scam, you will receive a message from a fake support team, claiming that they need to access your device or account to fix a supported issue. Once you permit this, your personal information may be revealed, or your device may be infected with a virus, or you may have to pay for these unnecessary repairs.

Message Example:

Hello, this is Apple Support. We’ve detected unusual activity on your device and need to perform a security check immediately to avoid further damage. Please reply for assistance.

Dear Customer, your device has a virus infection, and it’s spreading to your files. Please download this app to allow us to access your computer remotely and fix the issue.

9.Verification Code Scam

You may receive a message that includes an unsolicited verification code sent by scammers. Then they will claim that they sent this code by mistake and ask you to share it back directly. In this way, you fall into their trap capable of logging in to your WhatsApp account and scam your friends or family.

Message Example:

Your WhatsApp verification code is: 123456. If you did not request this, please ignore this message. If you requested it, use this code to log in.

Hi, I’m trying to set up my WhatsApp, and I accidentally sent you a code. Could you please forward it to me?

10.Malware Scam

Malware scams can contain a variety of tactics to trick you into downloading and installing a malicious app on your device through a suspicious message, link, or file. This software can steal your data, track your activities, or cause damage to your contacts.

Message Example:

Here’s a funny video you’ll love. Just click the link to view it.

Hey, check out this amazing new app! It can help you save money on shopping. Here’s the download link Look at this funny meme I made of you! I uploaded it here. Check it out!

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Tips: Back up and Transfer WhatsApp Content

Although this article lists the top 10 most common WhatsApp scams here and gives specific SMS examples, the scammers’ tactics can be very sophisticated. What if you still accidentally fall into these traps of scammers? What if your WhatsApp account is controlled by them? What if your WhatsApp content has been erased?

To avoid this, it is recommended to employ Syncios WhatsApp Transfer to back up and restore your data securely. This robust tool is designed to backup, restore, and transfer all your WhatsApp contents, including messages, photos, videos and attachments. See below how to back up your WhatsApp content with 1 click!

Simple Steps to Backup WhatsApp Content:

• Step 1: Install and launch Syncios WhatsApp Transfer on your PC or Mac. In the following main interface, select “Backup WhatsApp” option. (To transfer WhatsApp content between two devices, select the first module.)



• Step 2: Prepare a USB cable to connect your device with the computer. Then click the “Start” button to initiate the backup process.



• Step 3: Wait patiently. When the backup is complete, you can click the “View” button to check your backup WhatsApp content.

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Part 4: How to Spot WhatsApp Scams

To spot various WhatsApp scams can be very important for you. Browsing several examples of messages sent by cybercriminals, you can find that there are common characteristics. Let’s sum it up.

• Urgent Appeal to Action: If you find that someone constantly message you with emergent words and language, demanding the immediate action, that’s 100% scams.
• Too Good to Be True: You receive very unrealistic messages like lottery winning or great job offer, especially you didn’t make any efforts to attain.
• Unsolicited Message from Unknown Contacts: Scammer will send you messages by impersonation with a complete number you don’t recognize.
• Random Links: Most fraudsters will send you malicious links or attachments, tricking you into phishing sites or malware.
• Payment Request: The ultimate goal of almost all the WhatsApp scams is your money. Therefore, any financial help online can operate by scammers.

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Part 5: How to Avoid WhatsApp Scams

Since we have leaned about some warning signs that indicate WhatsApp scams, then we can take appropriate measures to avoid falling into the trap of these scammers.

• Be Vigilant to Unknowns: Whether you encounter the so-called famous company, official Support Team, or an attractive person on WhatsApp, always remember to be cautious and verify their identities before sending any messages back.
• Ignore Unsolicited Message/Link: Do not click any suspicious link or reply to the unsolicited message out of curiosity!
• Never Share Personal Info: Usually, none of your family members, friends, or official organizations will demand your privacy, bank account, password, address, or ID cards.
• Report and Block Fraudsters: If you're intelligent enough to identify their tricks, simply report and block them to protect your contacts from scams.
• Keep Official WhatsApp in Mind: If you have any trouble, check the official site of WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com. To contact official WhatsApp Support, tap Settings, Help and click Contact Us. ([email protected])

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Part 6: FAQs About WhatsApp Scams

Is It Safe to Chat Through WhatsApp?

Sure, it’s safe to chat via WhatsApp. Still, you should know it’s inevitable for certain people to fall into WhatsApp scams, hence, staying vigilant always should be the priority.

Can Someone Hack My Phone By Texting Me on WhatsApp?

No, simply receiving a message on WhatsApp cannot hack your phone. Nevertheless, hackers can try to compromise your device if you click malicious links or download infected files. If you are concerned about your WhatsApp content being affected, it is suggested to utilize Syncios WhatsApp Transfer to back up your content instantly and securely.

What Should I Do If My WhatsApp is Hacked?

If unfortunately your WhatsApp is hacked, you should take immediate action to try to log back in to your account, and the click Settings to remove any unauthorized WhatsApp devices. If you can’t access, simply email WhatsApp support asking for the further help. Additionally, don’t forget to alert your contacts about the hack.

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Part 7: Conclusion

To conclude, WhatsApp scams should not be underestimated due to the endless emergence of fraud methods. It's beneficial to learn about the types of fraud, so that you can accurately identify them and avoid any losses. If you don’t want to accidentally lose any WhatsApp content due to WhatsApp scams, employ Syncios WhatsApp Transfer to back up all with one click. Don’t hesitate to share this article about WhatsApp scams with your family and friends, enjoy clean and safe socializing together!

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