Born this week

22/3/1976 – Reese Witherspoon

23/3/1968 – Damon Albarn

24/3/1974 – Alyson Hannigan

25/3/1965 – Sarah Jessica Parker

26/3/1985 – Keira Knightley

27/3/1970 – Mariah Carey

28/3/1986 – Lady Gaga

Online safety is increasingly important, even for popular platforms like WhatsApp. With over 2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp has become a favourite target for fraudsters and tactics have become more ingenious and effective than ever.

The majority of users are vulnerable when online, making it an irresistible platform for scammers. Cybersecurity experts have compiled their top tips on how to recognise WhatsApp scams and how to prevent them.

What is WhatsApp fraud (friend or family emergency scam)?

WhatsApp fraud involves cybercriminals pretending to be someone known by the victim and asking for money. They pose as friends or family members with urgent financial needs, leading to victims losing thousands of pounds.

Advanced WhatsApp scam: WhatsApp hijacking WhatsApp hijacking involves unauthorised access to a victim’s WhatsApp account by a cybercriminal, who then uses it to commit fraudulent activities. The process of hacking into a WhatsApp account may seem complicated, but it is a common practice among cybercriminals.This is how it is done:

1 The fraudster obtains the phone number of the first victim.

2 The cybercriminal (re) installs WhatsApp on their phone or another device.

3 The criminal contacts the victim, impersonating an acquaintance of the victim.

4 The WhatsApp fraudster lies to the victim, saying that they have accidentally sent their verification code to the victim.

5 The cybercriminal tricks the victim into giving them the verification code, which they then