Police Issue Advisory On WhatsApp Scam
The police have advised that a “new WhatsApp scam has emerged in which a message is sent out, via SMS, by individuals purporting to be part of the WhatsApp technical team, asking users to share their verification code in order to verify that their account is genuine.”
“Responding to this message, allows the scammers access to your account, your contacts and your messages,” a police spokesperson said.
Detective Inspector Derricka Burns of the Specialist Crime Unit advised: “WhatsApp rarely message users via the app. If they do, it is for global announcements, and their messages include a green verified indicator alongside the logo and the account name.
“Also, WhatsApp never asks for your data or verification code and you should never be handing out six-digit PIN numbers to anyone.”
Inspector Burns added: “You can take extra security measures by setting up the two-step verification for your WhatsApp account.
“This means even if someone does get hold of your six-digit number, they will still need an extra password to access your account. Instructions for setting up two-step verification, is available in the settings area of the app.”
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