Beware! THIS WhatsApp scam may take away your hard-earned money; here’s how to stay safe

New Delhi: Meta (previously Facebook) is a company owned by Meta. WhatsApp, as one of the most widely used instant messaging applications, is also vulnerable to cyber hackers and bad actors. Given the ever-present threat, WhatsApp continues to introduce new security and privacy features to keep users secure. Hackers, on the other hand, are astute individuals who nearly always find ways to get around these safeguards. Recently, a group of fraudsters in the United Kingdom discovered a new way to defraud individuals via WhatsApp. The con starts with a message sent to the intended recipient. "Hello Mum" or "Hello Dad" is a simple message.

The scammers send a message that begins with "Hello Mum" or "Hello Dad," followed by an SOS to transfer money to an account right away because their "kid" or "daughter" is in trouble. Scammers have defrauded unsuspecting victims of about GBP 50,000 in just a few months, according to a report in Express UK. After being fooled into believing they had received a message from their son pleading for assistance, one single person was defrauded of GBP 3,000 by scammers.

The WhatsApp messages start with "Hello Mum" or "Hello Dad" before demanding money "now." Scam messages like these aren't unique to the United Kingdom. Scammers in India have been discovered using similar methods to deceive individuals into handing them money. Scammers attempt to resemble a close relative, such as a parent, kid, brother, friend, or coworker, in order to dupe you into giving them money.

Before transferring any money to anyone, WhatsApp users are encouraged to double-check their contacts and verify such messages.