WhatsApp is a wonderful way to stay in touch with family and friends. But it is also used by scammers. This guide shows you the most common risks and simple steps to stay safe.
The Most Common WhatsApp Scams
The “Hi Mum” or “Hi Dad” Scam
You receive a message from an unknown number. It says:
“Hi Mum, it’s me. I’ve lost my phone and this is my new number. Can you save it?”
After some conversation, they claim to be in trouble — they need money urgently and cannot access their bank account. They ask you to transfer money until they “sort out” their new phone.
The truth: This is always a scam. Before sending any money, call your child or family member on their usual number to check.
The Investment Scam
Someone — often a person you do not know, or a fake account pretending to be a celebrity or distant contact — messages you about a can’t-miss investment opportunity in cryptocurrency or trading.
The truth: These are always scams. You will lose all the money you send.
The Prize / Voucher Scam
A message claims you have won a supermarket voucher, airline tickets, or cash. You just need to click a link and share your details — or forward the message to 10 friends.
The truth: These links lead to fake websites that steal your information. Real companies do not run promotions this way.
The Verification Code Scam
A contact (whose account has been hacked) asks you to forward a 6-digit code you received “by mistake.” This code is actually WhatsApp’s login code — and by forwarding it, you hand over access to your own account.
Never forward WhatsApp verification codes to anyone — including people you know.
Privacy Settings You Should Check Right Now
1. Who Can See Your Profile Photo
Go to Settings → Privacy → Profile Photo and set it to My Contacts or Nobody. This prevents strangers from seeing your face.
2. Who Can See When You Were Last Online
Go to Settings → Privacy → Last Seen and Online and set it to My Contacts or Nobody.
3. Who Can Add You to Groups
Go to Settings → Privacy → Groups and set it to My Contacts. This stops strangers from adding you to spam or scam groups.
4. Enable Two-Step Verification on WhatsApp
This is very important. It adds a PIN that protects your account from being taken over.
- Go to Settings → Account → Two-step verification
- Tap Enable
- Create a 6-digit PIN you will remember
- Add your email address (optional but recommended, in case you forget the PIN)
5. Do Not Back Up to Cloud Without Encryption
If you back up WhatsApp to Google Drive or iCloud, make sure the backup is encrypted. Go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup → End-to-end encrypted backup and enable it.
General Safety Tips
- Do not click links in messages from people you do not know
- Be suspicious of urgency — “Act now!”, “Send money today!”
- Call before sending money — always verify by calling the person on their known number
- Be careful in group chats — you may not know everyone in the group
- Block and report anyone who sends suspicious messages — tap their name, scroll down, and tap “Block”
WhatsApp is safe when used carefully. The most important rule: if a message asks you to do something quickly — send money, click a link, share a code — slow down and verify first.