WhatsApp friend in need scam is doing the rounds: Here is what it is and how to stay safe
India Today
In the latest WhatsApp scam, users are being targeted by scammers posing as friends in need of help.
WhatsApp seems to be the most-used platform for scammers to dupe people. That is also because WhatsApp has the highest user base across the globe as compared to other social media apps. The latest scam that is doing the rounds is called a “friend in need” scam. Many users have reportedly received messages from their friends saying they need their help. The majority of users in the UK have received such messages on WhatsApp.
In the latest scam, users are being targeted by scammers posing as friends in need of help. WhatsApp users have received texts from friends claiming they’re stuck abroad and need money to get home. As per Metro, Toni Parker, a 53-year-old nurse fell for the scam. She received a text claiming to be from his son in dire need. Without thinking twice, Parker sent the desired amount and was conned out of £2,500.‘I love my kids and if they text me in need I will help them, who wouldn’t help their own children? These scammers know this and I think they are purposely targeting mothers because it is our natural instinct to help,” Parker told the Metro.
