With more than 2 billion active users, WhatsApp is the most popular instant messaging application in the world. With this in mind, it has become one of the most widely used platforms by hackers to scam their victims, usually by taking control of their account or stealing their money. Now, the Internet Security Office (OSI), dependent on the National Cybersecurity Institute of Spain, has warned of a new scam that could make you lose your WhatsApp account .
We are going to explain step by step what the scam consists of so that it is well understood and you do not fall into the trap. The deception begins with a call in which the cybercriminals pose as Social Security employees . What they tell you is that you are going to receive an SMS on your phone with a six-digit verification code that you must indicate to them so that they can give you an appointment to receive the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
But they are not Social Security employees, and in reality the code is the verification code that WhatsApp sends you when you try to log into the app from another device . Therefore, as soon as you provide them with the six figures, they take control of your WhatsApp and can do whatever they want with the account: send messages to your contacts, make video calls …
🔴 # OSIaviso | The #SeguridadSocial is not sending any code through #SMS, nor making calls for the #ThirdDose of the #vaccine against # COVID19, they are trying to hijack your #WhatsApp.
🚨More info: https://t.co/zUagJ2bSNE
If in doubt, @INCIBE: https://t.co/m45YXQ05PQ pic.twitter.com/ktxct894oM
– OSI Seguridad (@osiseguridad) October 13, 2021
What can you do if you have already fallen for the trap and have given hackers your WhatsApp verification code? From the Internet Security Office they recommend contacting the WhatsApp administrators to try to regain control of the account as soon as possible. It is true that this process may take a few days, but it is the best solution.
From WhatsApp they explain that there is a more immediate solution to recover a stolen account: registering in the application with the phone number and entering the six-digit verification code that you will receive via SMS . Once you enter the code, the session of the person who stole your account will be automatically closed.
You have to be very careful with these types of scams because they are becoming more and more frequent. Never, under any circumstances, share your WhatsApp verification code with anyone .
