Users of messaging platform WhatsApp have been warned that scammers may be trying to steal their identities.
Dmitry Bestuzhev, a director of research and analysis at cybersecurity company Kaspersky, told Spanish daily El Pais that WhatsApp has security issues and users should not share sensitive information on it.
He said: “It is important to understand that WhatsApp is not a secure platform, although many people think it is.
“The best thing to do is to not share delicate information.
“Many people share very sensitive information, and in a very short space of time the victim has lost control of their accounts.”
WhatsApp, which is currently owned by Meta (formerly known as Facebook), is no stranger to scams as fraudsters aim to take advantage of the messaging service’s estimated 2 billion users across the world.
However, one major issue for users has been what is called ‘SIM- swapping’.
This is when scammers clone a user’s phone number and assign it to a new sim card.
They are then able to access passwords and bank accounts.
In some cases, there have been calls from fake voice bots.
They have managed to extract sensitive details from people voluntarily.
WhatsApp has a two-step verification process that can stop scammers getting access to your information.
This involves asking for a unique six-digit code.
Users should also turn off the ‘last seen’ option in the privacy settings.
It’s also vital to ensure your profile picture isn’t available to anyone who isn’t a contact.
Mr Bestuzhev continued: “If the user is included in groups with lots of people, it is advisable to set up a privacy configuration that keeps any sensitive data hidden.”
Source: Express.co.uk
