It is one of the most popular apps on both Android and iOS, so it is no surprise that crafty scammers often target WhatsApp.
The latest fraud offers users 1,000GB free Internet – but sadly that is an offer that’s simply too good to be true.
Researchers from ESET have highlighted the dangers of the scam, which tries to trick users into clicking on a link to a fake WhatsApp website.
SEE ALSO :WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram down
In a blog about the scam, researcher Luis Lubeck explained: “What strikes us right off the bat here is that the URL that comes with the message is not an official WhatsApp domain.
“Even though businesses may sometimes run promotions through third parties, the rule of thumb here is to check on the company’s website to make sure any promotion is real and valid.
“Nevertheless, if you were to click on the link, you would be taken to a page that invites you to answer a series of questions in the form of a survey – ranging from how you found the offer to your opinion on the app.”
If you do complete the survey, you will then be urged to pass the offer along to at least 30 more people in order to quality for the big ‘reward.’
Mr Lubeck wrote: “Needless to say, this is merely a way to boost the campaign’s reach.”
SEE ALSO :Massive Facebook outage reveals how the firm tags your photos
Thankfully, the scam isn’t linked to any malicious software, so is unlikely to be dangerous to users.
Instead, the scammer’s goal is click fraud – a monetisation scheme that relies on racking up fake ad clicks that bring revenues.
Mr Lubeck added: “Attacks that rely on social engineering are rampant, simply because they continue to be very effective.
“Con artists know full well that everybody likes to receive something for free or help others, and these are just some of our traits that make us susceptible to fraud.
“If we want to avoid getting caught out, we need to keep up on the scammers’ methods and watch out for red flags. In addition, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is – sticking to that old and beautifully simple adage will go a long way toward bolstering your safety.”
SEE ALSO :Twitter revamps website in bid to mimic mobile app
We are undertaking a survey to help us improve our content for you. This will only take 1 minute of your time, please give us your feedback by clicking HERE. All responses will be treated with the confidentiality that they deserve.
