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Created in 2009 as an alternative to text
messaging, WhatsApp is today one of the
world’s most popular instant messaging
services with more than one billion users
in 180 countries. According to a May 2016
report from a research firm, SimilarWeb,
WhatsApp is the top chat app in 109
countries, which represents 58 per cent
of the 187 countries covered in the
survey. Facebook acquired WhatsApp in
2014 to make a bigger play in the rapidly
growing messaging market, along with its
own Messenger platform. At the time the
deal was announced, WhatsApp had 450
million users worldwide.

Considering the popularity and
widespread usage of WhatsApp, even
among the older generations in countries
such as Nigeria, it is no surprise that the
attention of hackers and other
unscrupulous individuals have shifted to
the medium in a bid to exploit loopholes
that could be used to swindle
unsuspecting users of their money or
other sensitive information.


Here are six WhatsApp scams you should
look out for:

1. WhatsApp Gold

The offer of an upgrade to WhatsApp
Gold is a fraud that starts with a message
via social networks in which WhatsApp
users are invited to click on a link to
update their app to the inexistent Oro
version (Gold version), which offers the
users a suite of new and exclusive
features. According to the research and
development unit of Yudala, the link takes
the user to a web page where, if he
wants to use these improvements, he has
to give his phone number. Interestingly,
users who go on to give their number will
be subscribed to a premium SMS service:
each text message that you receive will
cost you just a meagre sum.
Global attention was initially drawn to the
existence of this scam by the Spanish
National Police and Civil Guard when it
reported the existence of an expensive
scam costing users £36 per month. Since
then, the scam has also been reported in
a number of countries.
It is important to point out that there is
only one version of WhatsApp; so caution
is the watch-word should you get a
similar invitation to upgrade to WhatsApp
Gold.

2. WhatsApp Plus

According to the research and
development unit of Yudala, this is
another scam perpetrated by faceless
individuals seeking to cash in on the
ubiquitous usage of WhatsApp. WhatsApp
Plus claims to let users send pictures,
videos and music files of an unlimited
size. This is in addition to allowing
subscribers use WhatsApp with more
than one number, a feature that is highly
sought after by many users of the app.
However, WhatsApp Plus is not
associated with WhatsApp and the
Facebook-owned service bans users who
have also downloaded the fake app onto
their device. A bold disclaimer was
recently issued by WhatsApp to alert
users to the existence of the fake app.
“WhatsApp Plus is an application that was
not developed by WhatsApp, nor is it
authorised by WhatsApp. WhatsApp Plus
contains source code which WhatsApp
cannot guarantee as safe and that your
private information is potentially being
passed to third parties without your
knowledge or authorisation,” the
statement said.
And to demonstrate its stance, WhatsApp
blocks users that have downloaded the
unsolicited version of the app, with users
having to wait an additional 24 hours to
get the ban lifted after deleting the fake
app.

3. WhatsApp browser fraud

With the launch of WhatsApp’s browser
platform, hackers created a number of
similar-looking fraudulent websites to
gain access to the sensitive data and bank
details of unsuspecting users. Some of
the tactics employed by these fraudulent
websites include requesting users to
download a seemingly harmless
application onto their computers, which,
in actuality, is a malicious software that
allows the cybercriminals access to
confidential information such as banking
information. Another very popular
strategy is to request the phone number
of the unknowing users and then
subscribe them to downloading premium
services that charge special rates.
To avoid falling a victim, it is pertinent to
bear in mind that there is only one
browser version of WhatsApp, which is
absolutely free. Most importantly, you do
not have to download anything to your
computer to use it.

4. WhatsApp video calling invite

In late 2016, WhatsApp rolled out video-
calling feature for Android, iOS and
Windows users. The feature, which was
long anticipated, was made available for
downloads via update available to all
users. However, the rollout of this
popular feature has created new
opportunities for scammers who
circulate malicious links inviting people to
download video-calling. Shortly after the
video-calling feature was introduced on
November 15, 2016, WhatsApp users began
receiving an invitation link for it. Once the
user clicks on the given link, he is directed
to a webpage to enable the new feature.
The spam message reads, “You’re invited
to try WhatsApp Video Calling feature.
Only people with the invitation can enable
this feature.” And once a user clicks on
the link, it redirects to a website that has
been designed to look believable.
Once a gullible user clicks on the ‘enable’
tab, he/she is immediately directed to a
new page that requires user verification.
You would then be asked to share and
invite four other friends to enable this
feature through the same link. Though the
entire page and the process look credible,
mere clicking on this link can expose you
to spammers, making you extremely
vulnerable to hacking.
Please note that the correct way to
enable video calling feature is to update
your WhatsApp app through your Google
Playstore or Apple Store. As soon as it is
updated, the feature will be automatically
enabled.

5. Fake WhatsApp voicemail

This is another scam that arose with the
introduction of voice calls on WhatsApp.
However, this scam, often perpetrated via
email, does not seek to take advantage of
the voice-calling feature but aims to trap
unsuspecting users with the introduction
of a related service. The fake WhatsApp
Voicemail fraud starts when a user
receives an email, notifying him of an
unread voice message in the non-existent
WhatsApp voicemail. When the user clicks
on the large “Autoplay” button that
supposedly allows you hear the message,
there is no message. Instead, a malicious
software introduced by a hacker is
downloaded on the device. This is usually
the gateway for the scammers to
compromise or gain access to the user’s
bank details, credit card information and
other personal data. This approach was
recently used by a Canadian pharmacy
spam website in trying to sell its fake
pharmaceutical products. The
perpetrators were of the view that
disguising their spam message as
something completely unrelated to
pharmaceutical products would help it
bypass spam filters as well as trick
recipients into clicking the link and visiting
the site.
The best way to remain protected from
this particular scam is to remember that
there is presently no WhatsApp voicemail.

6. WhatsApp Spy

Despite the existence of WhatsSpy Public,
an application invented by Dutch
developer, Maikel Zweerink, that allows
you to spy on your WhatsApp contacts by
tracking the user’s online status, last time
of connection and any changes made to
profile photos, there is another scam app
that claims to go one step ahead by
offering a service that allows anyone to
read the conversations of others. Known
as WhatsSpy, this is a fraud in which
ignorant users are tricked into
downloading an app, through which
malicious software are introduced into
the user’s device. Understandably, a
number of individuals will go to great
lengths to be able to read the
conversations of others, especially as a
means of keeping tabs on cheating
spouses or for other similar purposes.
This has contributed in no small measure
to many falling victim to the WhatsSpy
scam.
To reiterate the fact, WhatsApp messages
are encrypted and as such, you cannot
remotely read other people’s
conversations. WhatsApp’s end-to-end
encryption ensures only you and the
person you’re communicating with can
read what is sent and nobody in between,
not even WhatsApp. Your messages are
secured with a lock and only the recipient
and you have the special key needed to
unlock and read your message. For added
protection, every message you send has a
unique lock and key. All of this happens
automatically: no need to turn on settings
or set up special secret chats to secure
your messages.
The existence of end-to-end encryption
has remained one of the major factors
that have contributed to the growing
popularity of the Facebook-owned
service.


Source :: http://www.praizeblog.com/2017/07/do-you-whatsapp-be-careful-these-are-6.html?m=0

Cc lalasticlala fynestboi

Afonjashapmouth:
Even without a spy a can read WhatsApp msgs of anybody I want

please teach me

Nice 1 from u OP

LalasticSeun:
please teach me

Drop ur email and once I click like erase it