WhatsApp scams on the rise in South Africa
South Africans are being increasingly targetted by scammers and fraudsters over popular communication app WhatsApp.
Carey van Vlaanderen, the CEO of ESET Southern Africa, said there are 23 million WhatsApp users in South Africa; however, it is also a popular platform for scammers looking to take advantage of unsuspecting victims.
WhatsApp does have built-in security measures to best protect users; however, the CEO said that it is important to note that these measures, including end-to-end encryption and two-step verification, are not 100% foolproof.
As a result, they do not guarantee protection against user error.
According to Van Vlaanderen, most scams in South Africa are social engineering scams, which can be difficult for users to detect as they often rely on exploiting human vulnerabilities rather than technical ones.
“This makes it important for users to be sceptical of unsolicited messages or requests for personal information and to verify the authenticity of any communication or offer before doing anything else,” said Van Vlaanderen.
The CEO provided the following list of the most common types of WhatsApp scams:
- Phishing scams: Fraudsters send messages that appear to be from a legitimate source, like a WhatsApp business account of a retailer, insurer or bank, and ask the victim to click on a link or provide personal information.
- Pretexting scams: Scammers spin a false narrative or use a pretext to gain the victim’s trust, such as pretending to be a customer service representative or a co-worker and then asking for sensitive information.
- Baiting scams: Users are offered something of value, such as a gift, discount or prize, in exchange for personal information or actions, such as clicking on a link or downloading a file.
- Scareware scams: Attackers create a sense of urgency or fear to manipulate the victim into taking immediate action, such as downloading fake antivirus software or paying a ransom to avoid legal consequences.
- Fake job offers: Scammers send messages claiming to offer job opportunities and ask users to pay a fee or provide personal information to secure the job.
- Investment scams: Scammers send messages offering high returns on investment and ask users to transfer money to fraudulent accounts.
- Romance scams: Con artists create fake profiles on WhatsApp and other dating apps to establish relationships with users and then ask for money or personal information.
Van Vlaanderen also gave some tips to protect yourself from WhatsApp scams:
- Be wary of unsolicited messages: Don’t click on links or download attachments in messages or groups where you do not know people.
- Verify the source: If you receive a message from a known contact, but it seems suspicious, verify (either by a phone call or using another social platform) with the person before clicking on any links or downloading any attachments. Scammers often use other people’s hacked accounts to send fraudulent messages to their contacts.
- Don’t share personal information: Don’t share any personal information like bank account details, passwords, or other sensitive information on WhatsApp, even if the request appears to be coming from a trusted source.
- Enable two-step verification: Two-step verification adds an extra layer of security to your account. Enable this feature in WhatsApp by going to Settings > Account > Two-step verification.
- Keep your WhatsApp app updated: Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp installed on your device because updates often include security fixes.
- Be vigilant: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
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