Safer Internet Day will be held on February 7th and this will be the 20th edition of the campaign. Days celebrated by not safe to promote safer and more responsible use of technology online and offline. At a time when cell phones are used as a leading method to scam the non-tech-savvy, people need to be extra vigilant to keep themselves safe.
One of the most used apps for online scams is Whatsapp. Despite some security and privacy measures, people still get scammed on the app. Here are a few red flags
WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption makes it a relatively secure messaging service and can prevent hackers from reading your chats. However, WhatsApp users are still at risk of scams including victim involvement.
Here are a few ways users can detect phishing and report it:
– In some WhatsApp scamCybercriminals send enticing messages to trick people into sharing personal or financial information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers. They send a malicious link, like the one from a legitimate company, asking you to click on it. If you click on it, the malicious link will infect your phone and access your data.
It should be noted that a cybercriminal can also impersonate a friend so that you believe what he is asking you to do. After scammers steal your information, they can gain access to users’ email, banking or social media accounts.
– If any message or caller asks you to take immediate action, chances are the person on the other side is a scammer. Such texts are often alarming and include threats such as bank account lockouts and legal action, among others.
– If you pay close attention to scam messages, you often find grammatical or spelling errors. Communication from legitimate businesses, such as banks, government agencies, is free of typos. If you find a message with grammatical errors, along with threats and warnings, it’s most likely phishing. Such messages often come from unknown numbers.
– Messages with prizes, gifts and discounts that you do not participate in often lead to scams.
One of the most used apps for online scams is Whatsapp. Despite some security and privacy measures, people still get scammed on the app. Here are a few red flags
WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption makes it a relatively secure messaging service and can prevent hackers from reading your chats. However, WhatsApp users are still at risk of scams including victim involvement.
Here are a few ways users can detect phishing and report it:
– In some WhatsApp scamCybercriminals send enticing messages to trick people into sharing personal or financial information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers. They send a malicious link, like the one from a legitimate company, asking you to click on it. If you click on it, the malicious link will infect your phone and access your data.
It should be noted that a cybercriminal can also impersonate a friend so that you believe what he is asking you to do. After scammers steal your information, they can gain access to users’ email, banking or social media accounts.
– If any message or caller asks you to take immediate action, chances are the person on the other side is a scammer. Such texts are often alarming and include threats such as bank account lockouts and legal action, among others.
– If you pay close attention to scam messages, you often find grammatical or spelling errors. Communication from legitimate businesses, such as banks, government agencies, is free of typos. If you find a message with grammatical errors, along with threats and warnings, it’s most likely phishing. Such messages often come from unknown numbers.
– Messages with prizes, gifts and discounts that you do not participate in often lead to scams.
Here’s how you can report an account
If you feel you are being scammed or targeted by a scammer, you can report and block the number.
To block a contact, open WhatsApp, tap More options > Settings.
Tap Privacy > Blocked Contacts.
Click Add.
Search or select the contact you want to block.
Tap SELECT to block only accounts or REPORT AND SELECT, which will report and block the number.
See more:
Whatsapp introduces Accidental Delete feature: Here’s how to use it
