UK-TARGETED ‘FRIEND IN NEED’ SCAMS COSTS WHATSAPP USERS GBP1.5 MILLION
July 30th, 2022
New data from Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, reveals users of the messaging app WhatsApp face a high risk of being targeted by so-called ‘friend in need’ scams that involve criminals contacting victims pretending to be their friend or a family member. Criminals will claim to be a family member, usually their children, typically starting the message with ‘Hi Mum’ or ‘Hello Dad’, then say that they are texting from a new mobile number as their phone was lost or damaged. The scammer will go on to ask for ...
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