Another scam is seriously endangering the safety of WhatsApp users. This time it looks like an official message and it contains a link to an alleged customer portal where users are asked to give their bank details.
That’s the text of the message: “Our records indicate that your WhatsApp trial service is exceeding the one-year period.” The message then adds: “At the completion of your trial period your WhatsApp will no longer be able to send or receive message [sic]. To continue using WhatsApp without interruption [sic], we need you to subscribe for any of our subscription periods.”.
So, WhatsAppers are warned, this is just a scam organized by cyber criminals to obtain their bank details, and Action Fraud (the UK national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre) asks user to stay vigilant. That’s the explanation the organization has given to WhatsApp users with a blog post: “Long term users of WhatsApp will remember paying a 0.99p annual fee to use the messaging service. In 2016, this was scrapped by Facebook who took over running of the company after buying it for £11.4bn. That means since 2016, the service has been free for every user.“.
The text of the scam reads: “Your subscription has expired. To verify your account and purchase a lifetime subscription for just 0.99 GBP simply tap on this link.”, but it’s clearly a fake since WhatsApp is still a free app so uses are warned not to click on the link given in the hoax message.
It is always valid what WhatsApp has already said in the past, providing its users suggestions on how to spot these kind of scams. So, always become suspicious if you receive a message where:
- The sender claims to be affiliated with WhatsApp.
- The message content includes instructions to forward the message.
- The message claims you can avoid punishment, like account suspension, if you forward the message.
- The message content includes a reward or gift from WhatsApp or another person.
Furthermore, WhatsApp suggests to block the sender and disregard and delete the message.