Tech experts warn of new WhatsApp hacking scam targeting users

Tech experts issued a warning about a new scam targeting WhatsApp accounts.

The scam involves simple steps to deceive and manipulate victims into compromising their accounts.

Here’s how the scam works:

1. Initial contact: The victim receives a WhatsApp message from a known friend, starting with a friendly greeting.
2. Group invitation: The scammer, posing as a friend, claims to have created a new WhatsApp group and invites the victim to join.
3. Sending the group link: The scammer sends a link, allegedly for the group, and asks the victim to click on it.
4. Receiving an activation code: The victim receives an SMS containing a WhatsApp activation code.
5. Requesting the code: The scammer asks the victim to share the code, claiming it is necessary to add them to the group.
6. Account hacked: Once the scammer obtains the code, they gain control of the victim’s WhatsApp account.
7. Exploitation: The hacker uses the compromised account to send messages to the victim’s contacts, often requesting sensitive information such as credit card numbers under the pretext of an urgent need.

Important warning:

Never share any activation code received via SMS with anyone, even if they claim to be a friend.
Enable WhatsApp’s two-step verification feature to secure your account against hacking attempts.