Reports of a new, simple, and dangerous WhatsApp ‘scam’ have arisen, with those affected stating that a single phone call could put their account in jeopardy.
Hackers are able to gain control of a user’s account after the phone call, locking the owner out and gaining access to their contacts and messages.
According to the CEO of risk assessment firm CLOUDSEK, Rahul Sasi, that users will receive a call from a random number, who will then ask them to call another number. The way in which the hackers convince victims is yet to be identified.
Once the call is forwarded, hackers will gain access to a OTP (one time password) and are then able to login and change the details of the account.
As per most scams, hackers then hold users accounts and data for ransom. One woman in the UK was extorted out of almost $20,000 USD, by a hacker who posed as her daughter.