WhatsApp It is a tool widely used today, but its use is important risks that you have to know. Below we will tell you what to do in case you fall into the trap.
The financial education platform PROUSSIONAL He warned of the risks that can occur when falling into cyber frauds and scams that can occur by WhatsApp.
Can read: Key precautions when buying online: protect your pocket and information
1. The cyber criminals are passed through a known person or an entity to earn your trust and get your information or send money.
Scammers often assure you that they are some person of trust (friendship, family or related), but that for a recent “problem” they contact you from a new number, regularly different from the one you already have.
They also pretend that they are brands and companies that supposedly write you to give you prizes and discounts. Similarly, they can affirm that they are part of the recruiting team of a company that is interested in you as an employee. First wake up your interest through the promise of great benefits. Once they have your interest, they proceed to request sensitive information or amounts of money that look small compared to what You will later receive.
Stofkers can also request donations For alleged beneficial causes, such as helping a relative who is in an emergency situation (hospital, police, kidnapping …). If it happens to you, suspect and contact the person who claims to be before responding to their request for help or any other person who asks for money with great reward.
2. Another modality of whatsapp scam is to impersonate your bank or financial entity.
Unlike the previous case, the objective is not necessarily that you send money, but you provide access information to Your banking products or personal information. In this way you can use your savings and credit products accounts.
3. Theft of your WhatsApp account.
Through this modality, cybercounts take control of your profile, preventing you from accessing as usually accustomed.
With your WhatsApp in your possession, cybernetic criminals have access to your contacts, your conversations and your shared files. With this you can cheat nearby people using your identity, ask for an economic rescue to return your account or blackmail to publish content that can injure your intimacy and reputation.
To get your account, criminals obtain verification codes that, for security, WhatsApp sends to your cell phone via SMS. If someone asks you for that code with the excuse that you have received it by mistake distrust, because they are very likely to be tried to kidnap your account.
4. Another scam method by WhatsApp is social engineering
One of the techniques such as Phishingmanages to install malicious programs on your mobile to access the information contained in memory and applications, as well as your bank accounts.
To achieve this, cybercounts send you contaminated web files and links that display spies softwares with the potential to violate your privacy and steal your passwords.
To do?
– Avoid interacting with people who use unknown numbers, unless you can prove their identity.
– Never transfer money to known and related unless you have verified the validity of your application by other ways. It does not matter if it is an emergency situation, do not respond to your request for help without first confirming that the emergency situation is actually
– Never share with anyone the verification codes you receive by SMS, this is information that only serves you any more.
– Be careful with the multimedia files that you will open on your cell phone. If you have doubts, preferably, avoid doing it.
– Configure your cell phone so that it does not allow automatic file storage without your prior authorization.
– Activate two steps verification on WhatsApp. This makes it very difficult for your account to be stolen.
