Fraudsters are currently on the move again on Whatsapp. The beta portal reports of extortion – and the LKA Bayern warns of false friends.
Germany – Whatsapp fraud is nothing new. Since more people than ever communicate online, the situation in the corona pandemic has worsened again. Experts are currently warning of supposedly harmless inquiries from friends. In some cases, WhatsApp users are even blackmailed, RUHR24 * knows.
| Instant Messaging Service | |
| Publishing year | 2009 |
| developer | Whatsapp Inc./ Meta Platforms |
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Whatsapp: False friends give victims friendly compliments
Like the beta portal WABetainfo now reported, alleged friend inquiries are currently circulating on Whatsapp. Scammers would send messages to their victims like, “Sorry, who are you? I found you in my address book. “
As a result, the criminals try to win the trust of their victims with friendly questions and compliments. For example, you will be asked for your name or address. Finally, the “new friends” also ask to add them as contacts on Facebook or Instagram (digital news on RUHR24 *).
Whatsapp: New scam is tough blackmail
Their goal: They try to get as much personal data as possible – especially photos – with which they can later blackmail their victims. Because this fraud is really tough blackmail.
The criminals give out loud later WABetainfo propose to own confidential or embarrassing photos and ultimately demand money from the Whatsapp users concerned. Anyone who pays once will then be asked again and again for money, warns the portal (further warnings on RUHR24 *).
Whatsapp rip-off: perpetrators pretend to be friends or relatives
The portal does not write how many such cases there were in Germany. However, in December the State Criminal Police Office of Bavaria warned of similar “false friends”. As the Editorial network Germany and image reported, reports in the three-digit range have so far been received by the Bavarian police alone.
Particularly perfidious: With this scam, the hackers even take over the accounts of their victims – with a “code trick” that the Lower Saxony LKA warned against in the summer *. The cyber criminals then write to their contacts, for example friends or relatives, on behalf of the victims and ask them for money.
Whatsapp scam: be careful when friends suddenly ask for money
Most of the time, it would involve a sum of around 1000 euros, which was transferred to the perpetrators by the victims in good faith. Therefore, Whatsapp users should not only beware of false friends.
Anyone who is asked for money by a real good friend via Whatsapp should also pay attention. It is quite possible that the friend’s Whatsapp account has been cracked. *RUHR24 is part of the editorial network of IPPEN.MEDIA.
Rubriklistenbild: © Sri Loganathan/ picture alliance / Zumapress.com
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