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One of the main reasons why WhatsApp has become one of the world’s most popular apps is its versatility. Not only is the solution easy to use but it is also easily modified, and many of those modifications or hacks can be a lot of fun.

A little Internet research can introduce you to a wide variety of WhatsApp hacks, many of which are so simple anybody can do them. Some of these hacks can be done directly through WhatsApp, while others will require the use of other applications. Either way, you can greatly leverage the power of WhatsApp and have a lot more fun with it in the process.

A Few Really Great WhatsApp Hacks That You Will Really Enjoy

The best WhatsApp hacks around:

• Prank or trick your friends with a fake conversation with yourself using the WhatsSaid app from our friends at Prank Soft. This neat little solution enables you to concoct fake WhatsApp conversations with yourself or anybody else. For example, you could make up a false WhatsApp chat between you and the Queen or President Obama. Drive your friends crazy by convincing them that you know Kim Kardashian or Mick Jagger.

• Protect your privacy with a WhatsApp lock app. Such an app locks your WhatsApp and enables only those that know your password to see your message. That way you do not have to worry about a thief reading your messages if your phone gets stolen. Three of the best are WhatsApp Lock, Lock for WhatsApp or WhatsLock, and Messenger Lock, all of which are available in Google Play for those that use the Android operating system. WhatsLock is also available in Apple’s iTunes. Never worry about strangers seeing what is in your WhatsApp again.

• Use WhatsApp without a mobile phone number. This is not a trick; it is possible to set up a WhatsApp account without a phone number by following these simple steps:

• • Uninstall WhatsApp or get a second mobile device without WhatsApp on it such as a “burner phone,” which can be purchased from many convenience stores.

• • Set the phone to flight mode.

• • Download and install WhatsApp again.

• • WhatsApp will ask you for an alternative method of verification.

• • Choose “verify through SMS.”

• • Click on send; then immediately click on cancel. This terminates the authorization process.

• You should be able to send and receive messages without a phone number.

Another use for this hack is to create a second WhatsApp account for purposes you do not want others to see.

• Change somebody else’s profile picture. It is actually possible to change your friend’s profile picture on WhatsApp. For example, you could replace your friend’s picture with a shot of Darth Vader or Mickey Mouse. Here is one possible method for performing this prank:

• Choose a funny picture.

• Resize the picture to 561 x 561 pixels so it will fit on your friend’s phone.

• Borrow your friend’s phone.

• Save the image on the SD card.

• Disable Wi-Fi and data connections.

• Show it to your friend for a good laugh.

Note: This only works on phones and not on the network. The image your friend’s contacts see will not be affected by the prank, only the message on the phone. This is obviously a good reason to make sure your WhatsApp is locked at all times.

• Change your WhatsApp phone number. If you change phone companies or numbers or simply want to use WhatsApp with a different number, it is possible to do that too; in fact, it’s very easy.

• Simply go to WhatsApp; then access Visit Settings>Account> Change number, and type in a phone number. Click done, and validate that the number and data should change. That means you won’t lose any of your contacts.

• Stop the automatic download of media. Those media downloads can be real annoying, particularly when you start getting videos and songs that you do not want or don’t care about. Fortunately, there is a way to block them that’s real easy to access. Simply go to the configuration settings. This way you do not have to see those annoying clips of your friend’s cat unless you want to.

• Disable the time stamp. If you do not want contacts to know when you check your messages, you can disable the time stamp by going to Privacy in your WhatsApp Account Settings. Once there, look for Last Seen; then choose None. That means nobody will know when you actually sent messages or responded to them.

• You can restrict access to your profile picture. This means only people on your contact list can see your profile picture. That way strangers will not be able to learn what you look like from your phone. Simply go to Privacy under the account settings and look for the Profile Photo. You can choose everyone, none, or limit it to my contacts.

• Stop people from knowing that you are online. Yes, you can make sure that nobody can figure out you are messaging by adjusting your privacy setting. Simply go to Status under Privacy in the Account Settings. This way you can prevent your boss or others from figuring out that you are messaging.

• You can access WhatsApp from almost any computer by using WhatsApp Web. Simply go to WhatsApp Web and follow the instructions. WhatsApp Web is a slightly different version of the app designed to work on most PCs. It lets you message over WhatsApp without your phone.

These are just a few of the best WhatsApp hacks out there. To find more, try visiting popular websites such as Buzzfeed and TechAttend. These and other popular tech websites often contain all manner of WhatsApp tricks.

Another great way to find fun new WhatsApp hacks is to go shopping in iTunes, the Windows Store, or Google Play. There are now hundreds if not thousands of add-on apps for WhatsApp available in those venues. To find them, simply conduct a search for new or the latest WhatsApp solutions.

Nobody has to settle for the abilities built into WhatsApp. There’s lots more that you can do with it than you might think.

WhatsApp is a great application that’s a lot of fun to use, but you can make it even better. There are a wide variety of add-ons for WhatsApp available on Google Play and in the App Store that can make your messaging experience far more enjoyable.

These plugins could actually be the best thing about WhatsApp because many of them are free and they increase the app’s capabilities. There are even a few plugins that can help you find the best solutions for WhatsApp.

Some of the Best WhatsApp Plug-Ins and Solutions Currently Available Include:

• Addons for WhatsApp: This app actually helps you locate and install the best plugins for WhatsApp. If you do not want to spend a lot of time and effort scrolling through Google Play, this solution will actually do the shopping for you. One big advantage to Addons is that it will list the most popular new solutions for you.

• New Friends for WhatsApp: Are you tired of chatting with the same old crowd? This popular solution will help you expand your contact list by locating people with similar interests. It can also help you find fun and entertainment for free. If you are new to WhatsApp, this solution can help you reach out to others and expand your contact list.

• The WhatsApp Share Button: If you have a WordPress blog, this handy solution will enable your visitors to share it over WhatsApp. That can increase your click rate and enable you to reach readers that do not use regular computers. If you’ve got a blog for your business, this is an ideal solution.

• WhatsFriends for WhatsApp on Android: This solution from Bondrr LLC is actually a filter designed to sift through WhatsApp in order to find people that you might want to connect with. You can meet local friends or filter contacts by other factors such as gender. Worldwide Friendmaking is available if you are looking for people in other countries to connect with.

• What’Smileys: A lot of us love adding smiley facies or emoticons to our chats. This handy little add-on has one of the largest and most creative selections of such fun images around. That way you can always show your contacts how you really feel and at least send them a good laugh.

• Backup for WhatsApp: If you are afraid of losing your WhatsApp communications and you have a Google Drive account, this app will automatically back them up. Unfortunately, it is only available for Android phones.

• Update for WhatsApp: Are you afraid of missing out on the latest version of WhatsApp or any new changes on it? Well, this app will do that for you for free. It automatically checks your WhatsApp, compares it with the version on the official WhatsApp website, then updates your version if it is not the latest one. It also notifies you whenever there’s a new version of WhatsApp available. This could be the perfect solution for hardcore WhatsApp fans.

• 2 Lines for Whazzapp root: If you have a rooted phone, this app can let you use two WhatsApp accounts on the same phone. It’s a great solution for those with more than one phone number or device and for people that use different WhatsApp accounts for different uses, such as one for business and one for family.

• Install WhatsApp in Tablet: Want to add WhatsApp to your tablet but are unsure how to go about it? Well, this free tutorial will show you how to do it. This is a great solution for those that need tech support.

• Stickers WhatsApp Emotion: Another fun source of emoticons for your phone, this one features some really entertaining variations on the classic smiley face. One really fun feature to this is that you can share these with your friends to make them laugh.

• Lock for WhatsApp (WhatsLock): Anybody that likes the ideas of privacy and security should have a good WhatsApp lock solution on his or her phone. Lock for WhatsApp, which is also known as WhatsLock, is one of the best of these. It gets four out of five stars, and it is the top lock solution on Google Play.

• Shh No Last Seen or Read: Are you wondering if people actually read your messages or not? This handy solution can tell you. You can also read your messages in incognito mode so others will not know what you are doing.

• StealthApp for WhatsApp: Want to make sure others do not know when you are on WhatsApp? StealthApp can keep you secret; unfortunately, you will not be able to send out messages, just read them. This is a great solution for those that do not want to be disturbed but want to keep up with friends and family.

• 10000+WhatsApp Status: Tired of leaving the same old messages for your WhatsApp contacts? This really popular solution from India offers over 10,000 custom WhatsApp messages in several different languages, including English. Choose from subjects and others.

• +10000 WhatsApp Images: Want to make your friends laugh or just show them something besides pictures of your dog or the same old emoticons? This wonderful solution has over 10,000 hilarious images of all sorts for all tastes. Make your WhatsApp reflect your personality.

• Zuapp – Fun for WhatsApp: This service sends out a wide variety of funny messages on a wide variety of topics, including politics and sports, each day. It also offers some good night and good morning messages. If your creativity is tapped out, Zuapp can help.

Nobody has to settle for the features that come with WhatsApp. Instead, all you need to do to update this messaging solution is to go to Google Play, the Windows Store or the App Store and do a little shopping.

Something to be aware of is that not all of the apps mentioned here will be available at the App Store because they are Android solutions. It seems that most app designers prefer Android, possibly because it has more users.

Everybody that loves WhatsApp should spend time searching for plugins. Some really good solutions can make your messaging one of the highlights of your day.

A little known feature on WhatsApp can help you identify your most frequent contacts. This function can also help you keep track of your data usage and save money by limiting the drain messaging can cause to your phone bill.

The feature, which is appropriately called “storage function,” is hidden deep within WhatsApp, and a lot of people do not know about it. According to the tech press, the feature is little known because WhatsApp and its parent Facebook have deliberately failed to publicize it for reasons that are unclear.

Storage function was introduced in June 2015 as part of WhatsApp update 2.12.3, according to Telegraph tech writer Rhionnon Williams . The idea behind the feature is to track the kind of messages that people send and receive.

One possible reason for this feature is to let WhatsApp’s engineers see how the app is actually used so they can make changes to future versions. At some point, it might also be used for advertising or for some sort of integration with Facebook.

What Storage Usage Can Do

Some of the data collected by Storage Usage seems to include:

• The total number of messages.

• The number of messages from each contact.

• A ranking of the contacts so you can see who your most frequent correspondents are.

• The size of the messages.

• The amount of data each message is taking up.

By looking over this information, you should be able to tell you who texts you the most and how much time you spend chatting with them. This could reveal a lot about you, such as the identity of your friends or lover or what is important to you. A person that spends a lot of time texting his or her boss or clients could be identified as a workaholic for example.

Not surprisingly, this raises some security concerns. The data contained in storage function could be used to track you or at least identify your friends and family. Some messages, such as pictures and videos, might even tell more about you.

This is why it is always a very good idea to keep your smartphone secure. A person that steals it or hacks it could learn almost everything about you, including how to target your friends and family for scams.

How to Access Storage Usage

Even though it is hidden and somewhat obscure, Storage Usage is actually rather easy to access and use.

To open storage, follow these simple instructions:

1. Go to settings on the right side of WhatsApp’s main tool bar.
2. Select Account.
3. Select Storage Usage.
4. You should see all the data displayed and ranked once it is open.

Currently, Storage Usage only seems to be available on WhatsApp for Apple products that use the iOS operating system. It is not known whether it is available for the more popular Android yet or not. That means it could be something that Apple requires.

Nor is it clear if Storage Usage has been added to WhatsApp Web yet or not. WhatsApp Web is the app that lets you access the popular messaging service through desktop and laptop computers and tablets.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check Android, Windows, and other devices to see if it is installed. Even if you are not curious about the identity of your most frequent WhatsApp friends, you probably still want to know exactly what data your phone is collecting about you and why.

How to Cut Your Data Usage and Save Money

You could at least see why your phone bill is so high and why you never have any data left on your phone. That way you will be in a better position to cut your data usage in order to save money.

One way to avoid using far too much data is to try accessing the solution through WhatsApp Web. Another is to use a Wi-Fi connection rather than a phone signal when you log on to WhatsApp Web.

If you want, you could only contact those whom you spend the most time texting when you are using Wi-Fi or WhatsApp Web. You could also try to get them to contact you at times when you are most likely to be using a cheaper connection to the Internet.

You can also contact some people and tell them to stop sending you data-hogging messages such as videos and photographs. This may not always work, but you can at least try. Remember, if they are actually your friends, they will want to help you cut your phone bill.

Some Ways to Keep Your WhatsApp Data Secure

Not surprisingly, a lot of people will want to know how to keep their WhatsApp data secure after seeing how much information is contained in features such as Storage Usage.

Here are a few ways to keep your WhatsApp messages and data secure:

• Deactivate WhatsApp as soon as possible if your phone gets lost or stolen. The best way to do this is to simply reactivate your WhatsApp account on another phone number.

• Make sure you delete your WhatsApp Account whenever you change phones or numbers. You can delete WhatsApp by opening WhatsApp through WhatsApp Web or another device and going to Menu Button>Settings>Account>Delete My Account. All you have to do is type in your phone number.

• Lock WhatsApp. Unfortunately, there is no password encryption built into WhatsApp, but there are a large number of security apps for the solution, including Lock for WhatsApp, Messenger and Chat Lock and Secure Chat. Some of these are free, and many of them are available through Google Play and the App Store.

• Periodically wipe your WhatsApp Data with a cleanup solution such as Whats Cleaner. These apps will go through your data and get rid of everything that you do not want.

• Be careful what you say and send on WhatsApp. A good rule of thumb is if you want something to stay confidential or secret, do not say or send it through a messaging application such as WhatsApp. There is no such thing as perfect security. All it takes for the bad guys to get their hands on your data is one lapse.

• There are some other great security suggestions in this article from our friends at The Indian Express.

Everybody should keep track of his or her WhatsApp usage and be aware of the data this app is collecting. Understanding how features like Storage Usage work can make life safer and easier.

The biggest complaint that many people have about messaging applications is that they cannot get their messages via their PC. WhatsApp has effectively solved this dilemma with WhatsApp Web, which is designed to allow users of the app to receive messages via their desktops.

Interestingly enough, WhatsApp Web seems to work best on a 32-bit PC, and it does work well with most versions of Windows. The current version is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8, and the ever reliable Windows XP. Unfortunately, anecdotal evidence indicates that it does not work very well on Macs because of Apple’s proprietary operating system.

Basically, that means you can do everything you do through WhatsApp Web on 32-bit PCs that run on Windows, which would include laptops and tablets, including receiving pictures, videos, and audio messages. You can use WhatsApp Web on a Mac, but at this point, you will not be able to receive or send audios,6 videos or pictures through it.

How to Install WhatsApp Web on a 32-Bit Personal Computer

The easiest and best way to install WhatsApp Web on your PC is to use the download available from WhatsApp itself. Installing this download can be a little tricky, but most people should be to do it.

Here is a quick and dirty guide to accessing and installing WhatsApp through your PC.

1. Make sure that you have either Google’s Chrome Browser or Mozilla Firefox installed on your PC because these seem to work better with WhatsApp Web. Note: If you have one of these browsers installed, it might be a good idea to upgrade to the latest version because that may run WhatsApp better.
2. Go to this website: https://web.whatsapp.com/ on your browser.
3. Use WhatsApp on your phone to scan the code. If you are using a tablet, you may have to request the desktop site. Here is how to scan the code
   
4. Launch WhatsApp on your phone.
5. Go to the settings menu and chose WhatsApp Web.
6. A QR reader will open on your phone; point this at the barcode on the PC screen.
7. If it works, this should automatically log you into WhatsApp Web through your PC.
8. You should see WhatsApp on the screen. Desktop notifications are supported. You will have to choose the Desktop Alerts and sounds that you want.
9. You can start new conversations and filter existing chats on the PC just like you can on your phone.
10. You should be able to start messaging all of your contacts as soon as WhatsApp Web appears on your PC screen.
11. As long as you access WhatsApp Web through Chrome or Firefox, you should be able to send and receive videos, audios, and pictures.
12. By using the options, you should be able to log into WhatsApp Web on any computer you repeat this process on.
13. If WhatsApp Web is working correctly, messages between the phone and the browser should be instantly synched.

The WhatsApp Tablet App

There is no such thing as an official WhatsApp tablet app because it is not authorized by WhatsApp Inc. Instead, this is the creation of other designers, but it does seem to work very well.

Before you try this app, you should try installing WhatsApp Web on your tablet. WhatsApp Web should work on your tablet because it is a cross-platform application. That means it is designed to work on a wide variety of devices, including tablets.

That being said, some users report that this app, which is available through Google Play, works better on tablets than the regular WhatsApp: Tablet Messenger for WhatsApp. Here is how to take advantage of it:

• Go to Google Play on your Android tablet or Chrome and search for Tablet Messenger for WhatsApp. Make sure you find the version created by developer GJC. On the app page, tap Accept.

• The app should access your location and photos/media/files and install on your tablet.

• Tap the app, and launch it.

• As with regular WhatsApp, you will have to scan the QR code on the tablet screen.

• If it works, you should be able to access your WhatsApp messages through the tablet.

• You should be able to use WhatsApp Messenger on your tablet just like you use it on your phone.

• If you want, you can turn notifications for WhatsApp on your tablet off, much like you turn them off through your phone. To do this, look for the WhatsApp logo and tap it. You can turn off all notifications or notifications from specific contacts that you may not want to talk to.

WhatsApp for PC Features

There are a lot of advantages to using WhatsApp on a 32-bit PC, including:

• The service should be free provided you paid 99¢ to buy WhatsApp from Google Play or the App Store.

• You will be able to send and receive SMS messages from all over the world on your PC without using up your phone’s data plans.

• You will be to open audio messages and video clips that you receive through WhatsApp on your tablet or desktop. This makes it a lot easier to see the videos because the screen will be bigger. The video quality can also be a lot better. If you want, you will also be able to edit the video and audio messages you get on your tablet.

• Not only will you be able to receive pictures and see them but you will also be able to edit them with solutions such as the ever popular Adobe Photoshop.

• Another great advantage to accessing WhatsApp on your PC is that you will be able to print pictures and documents that you receive through WhatsApp Messenger. That makes it easy to create photos and share them with others.

As you can see, there are many reasons why you should consider adding WhatsApp to your PC. One note of warning here: If you are thinking of installing WhatsApp on your PC at work, make sure you get your boss’s permission first. Some workplaces have policies against adding messaging or texting programs to their computer systems.

If you cannot live without your messages, WhatsApp Web can make your life far more enjoyable.

If you use an Android device, you do not even need to use your hands to send a message over WhatsApp. A new Google Now update allows users to dictate and send messages through third party messaging solutions such as WhatsApp, The Verge reported .

All a user will need to send a message is to say, “Okay, Google, send a WhatsApp message to….” According to The Verge, Google Now will be able to search your address book and send a text version of your spoken message to that person if he or she is a WhatsApp user.

The dictation service is only available on a handful of third messaging solutions, including WhatsApp, and is currently only offered in English, although that could change in the near future, a Google blog post indicates. Google is working to add more languages and apps to the solution. New additions to the service will be announced at Google’s Insidesearch.blogspot.

How to Take Advantage of Google’s Dictation for WhatsApp

If you are sick and tired of tapping out text messages, here is how to take advantage of Google Now. That way you can have some of the advantages of Apple’s Siri without owning an iPhone.

To be able to dictate WhatsApp messages over an Android smartphone, you need:

• A late model Android smartphone such as the Samsung Galaxy S6, the Motorola Moto X, or the LG G4.

• The latest version of the Google for Android App installed on your phone; you can find it at Google Play. You may need to install Google Talkback as well.

• The latest version of WhatsApp Messenger installed on your phone. You should probably use the version found at Google Play for best results.

• Once these are set up, you should be able to use the hands-free WhatsApp on your phone.

It is not clear if this feature is on all the time or if it can be turned off, although it probably should be because nobody would want Google Now sending all of his or her conversations out as WhatsApp messages.

A Work in Progress

Persons that use this feature should be very careful because it is clearly a work in progress. It is now clear how well the transcription works and how good a job of turning the spoken word into the written word this feature does.

Those that use it should speak very clearly and be careful what they say. It would probably be a good idea to transcribe a message and send it to yourself to see what it looks like before communicating with friends, family, or coworkers.

Another problem is translation. Even though Google has a translation app available, it is specifically telling users that the voice transcription is only available in English. That probably means the search engine giant has not yet perfected a means of translation but is working on it.

Therefore it is advisable to only use the feature in English and probably American English until Google announces otherwise. This feature looks like a beta test, which means that there are still a lot of bugs to be worked out before it is ready for general use. A beta test is a limited rollout of a new solution designed to test its viability.

Not Available for Siri Yet

Unfortunately for iPhone users, there does not seem to be a WhatsApp voice transcription feature available for Siri yet, although Apple is presumably working on it.

Apple is actually a little behind the curve on text messages; it only unveiled the capability to send and receive text messages on all Apple devices last year. Apple has made some limited efforts at integrating Siri with WhatsApp, but it’s been moving slowly on efforts to bring in other apps.

The most likely scenario here is that Apple wants to bring out its own messaging app at some point. Apple has historically preferred using its own solutions rather than hosting outside apps in its system.

The Future of WhatsApp

Such voice integration is probably the future of WhatsApp because it will make the service easier to use. One strong possibility is that WhatsApp itself will unveil its own transcription feature at some point in the near future.

It is already possible to send voice messages over WhatsApp and to make phone calls through it. At some point, it will also probably be possible to convert text messages on WhatsApp into voice messages and voice messages into text messages.

That means WhatsApp could become Facebook’s answer to Siri. You will be able to take a picture with your phone and say, “Send this to Mom through WhatsApp,” and then say, “Mom, here’s my new car.”

It also means that WhatsApp is going to become a full communications solution at some point. Like Siri, it could act as your personal assistant as well as your messaging solution. You could use it to dictate a letter, send photos to your friends, send a message to your girlfriend or boyfriend, and more.

Apple, Google, and Microsoft will have no choice but to bring out their own solutions and integrate them with WhatsApp. One reason why they will do this is that WhatsApp has the ability to send direct messages to people around the world at no extra charge.

There are some problems to be worked out here, including translation and geographic location. The problem of correlating names to phone and other contact other information also comes up. If you have three people named Dave in your address book, how does WhatsApp or Siri tell which one you want to send a message to?

If you want to see what the future of WhatsApp and messaging will look like, go to Google Play and download the latest versions of Google and WhatsApp. That way you can have your own personal secretary in your phone that will even transcribe messages for you. It will not be perfect, but it could be a lot fun—particularly if you hate typing out text messages.

Now that WhatsApp has become the world’s most popular text messaging application, it has also become a popular venue for fraudsters. News reports indicate that there is now a wide variety of WhatsApp-based scams out there, some of which are quite clever.

A WhatsApp Scam that invited users to send Malware to friends.

All WhatsApp users need to be aware of these ripoffs because they are increasingly sophisticated and common. Unfortunately, a lot of people do not become aware of these rackets until they get victimized by them.

Common WhatsApp Fraud Tactics

The best way to spot a WhatsApp scam is to become familiar with the tactics that the fraudsters use. The execution of these strategies often changes, but the basic tactics remain the same.

Some of the Most Popular WhatsApp Fraud Tactics Are:

• Malicious Links: This is a link added to a message that looks something like an update or a new app. It may tell you that your WhatsApp will not work if you click on it. The problem is the app might download spyware or add a service to your phone for which you could be billed hundreds of extra dollars.

• The Fake Update: This is a message that looks like it is from WhatsApp. It might be offering a new version of solution or a new feature. The only problem is that what you really download is a malicious link that signs you up for services you do not want or steals your data. It might even contain a message that claims to be from a WhatsApp employee.

• The Premium Rate Message Scam: This is one of the fastest growing WhatsApp scams out there. It works like this: you get a message that says something like “this is Joe, please contact me about the job interview or the $500 prize.” When you respond, you get redirected to a premium rate message service for which you get billed. Instead of a free WhatsApp message, you end up paying to respond to the scam. Many of the predators behind this scam have their own messaging companies that charge many times the going rate.

• Manipulating Web Traffic: This scam tries to send a lot of traffic to a website so the site’s owner can make large amounts of money from advertising solutions, such as Google AdSense. Google and similar services pay by the click; the more traffic, the more money. Many of these scams involve messages that claim a new WhatsApp feature is available for free at a certain website. Others might claim that there might be a tablet or a coupon available. The idea is to create a lot of traffic, sometimes to bill advertisers, sometimes to inflate the site’s value so they can sell it.

• Browser Frauds: This is a message that claims you need to download a “special WhatsApp browser.” The problem is that the browser is really malware that is looking for your credit card or banking data.

• Asking for your Phone Number: This is a fake message that claims to be from WhatsApp and asks for your phone number. Do not respond. WhatsApp never contacts users and asks for phone numbers; instead, the fraudster is trying to sign you up for a “premium service” that will add extra charges to your phone bill.

• Message from a friend. This looks like an audio or other message from a friend that contains a malicious link. It may look like a real message and it may have a friend’s name on it. Fraudsters sometimes send these out after swiping somebody’s data. They may also simply send out a large amount of spam with a common name like Fred or Lucy on it, hoping that somebody will respond. Be leery of messages that do not look right or do not read as if your friend actually wrote them.

• Fake Sext. This looks like it contains something erotic, but is really a malware delivery system. A good rule of thumb is to never open anything that looks the least bit erotic.

Notorious WhatsApp Scams

Now that we know the fraudsters’ tactics, we can take a look at some of their scams and see how they work. A few of the most pervasive WhatsApp frauds include:

• WhatsApp Gold: Spain’s national police, the Civil Guard, claim that this racket raked in $5.58 million before they shut it down. The fraudsters sent out hundreds of fake SMS and WhatsApp messages. The messages prompted the victims to text a call center, where con artists were waiting to keep them on the line. The crooks then used a variation on the premium message scam to add hundreds of dollars to phone bills. The victims thought they were flirting with women. One victim found $2,230 in extra charges on his phone bill.

• WhatsApp Plus Secure: This is a fake app that promises to enhance your WhatsApp often with new emoticons or tweaks. It actually installs malware and malicious links. News articles indicate that this app often promises to allow you to download bigger pictures of videos. Never accept a new app from a message. Instead, go to Google Play or the App Store and check for it there. If you do not see the app there, chances are it is not legitimate and should be avoided. If the app is for real, download the official version from Google Play, The Windows Store, or the App Store just to be safe.

• WhatsApp Spy or WhatsApp Public. This is a fake app that claims it can show you how to spy on your contacts through WhatsApp. It is really a malware delivery system. It usually shows up as an advertisement in a message.

• WhatsApp Voicemail. This scheme involves a text that claims you have a new message on WhatsApp Voicemail. The only problem is that there is no WhatsApp Voicemail. Instead, what you open is – you guessed it – a malicious app. Be really careful because some of these messages may contain the names of real friends, coworkers, or family letters. It also may contain generic term such as “you have a new message from mom.”

• Disable Double Check. This was a fake app that claimed to be able to turn off a controversial WhatsApp feature called double check. Those who clicked on the app got signed up for a premium messaging service.

The best way to avoid these scams is to be careful what you open. Try to avoid any message that contains a link or promises a contact of some sort.