There is a new type of scam circulating on social networks and messaging applications. Criminals manage to access WhatsApp accounts without needing the victim's password. The method allows scammers to control a user's account and use their legitimate contacts to commit fraud.
After gaining access to the account, the scammers contact the victim's family and friends through the application itself. Using the person's identity, they make money requests, taking advantage of the trust that exists between contacts.
The scam exploits the closeness and trust relationship between known people. When receiving a message from a real contact asking for money, victims tend not to suspect and may end up making financial transfers to the criminals.
Authorities warn users to be cautious when receiving money requests, even when they appear to come from known contacts, and recommend verifying the identity of the requester through another channel before making any transfer.
