People are being urged to stay vigilant against scammers exploiting WhatsApp in the latest “friend in need” scam, where messages appear to be from a relative or friend in distress but are, in fact, attempts to steal money.
Action Fraud has issued a warning about this common tactic, where scammers pose as a loved one claiming to have lost their phone, asking for urgent financial help.
The scam is evolving as technology advances, with concerns that scammers may soon use AI voice mimicking to impersonate familiar voices, adding a new layer of deception.
Meanwhile, text message scams are also rampant, with fraudsters impersonating the Department for Work and Pensions, offering a supposed “living subsidy” with a fraudulent link to apply.
The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales shared a screenshot of a “cost of living” scam message to warn people not to click on any suspicious links. Rhian Bowen-Davies, the Commissioner, cautioned: “Please DO NOT click on any links contained within the message and report any scam messages you receive to Action Fraud.”
Action Fraud advises WhatsApp users who may receive strange messages claiming to be from family or a friend? Be wary of friend-in-need scams.
Report suspicious messages or block the sender by pressing and holding the message bubble, selecting ‘Report,’ and following the instructions.”
These scams are just one part of a growing issue in the UK, with Citizens Advice research revealing that one in five people have been targeted by finance-related scams in the last year alone.
Source:
The Metro
