The most popular platforms are the most used by cybershoishing because it is where you can ‘fish’ most. We are accustomed to acting through services such as WhatsApp either Bizumbut What happens when both combine in a scam? This is what a WhatsApp user has experienced who contacted the National Cybersecurity Institute (Incibe) to know how to proceed and that has motivated that it recently throws an alert about this new type of fraud with which A WhatsApp account is steal and then try to hesitate to the entire contact list via Bizum.
Incibe recounts that the victim contacted them through the 017; This free phone is the Cybersecurity help line of the Inbibe. The reason, having lost control of your WhatsApp account after receiving a video call. In the same, made by a contact of his agenda, not for an unknown number, It was not possible to see his interlocutorsince the entire screen appeared in black. He told him that he had a problem with his device and asked to share the screen to check its operation.
At this point it is where the victim makes the mistake that will cost him his WhatsApp account. While they are sharing screen, Receive an SMS with the WhatsApp Security Code whose notification, with the visible code, appears briefly in the video callwhat is enough for the scammer to take note and can access the victim’s WhatsApp.
Moments later, your WhatsApp closes and You can’t access him again. His account is in the hands of the scammer, but this is only the first part of the deception.
In the following hours, some of their contacts begin to inform you that They are receiving WhatsApp messages, from the stolen account, requesting money urgently through Bizum. In some cases, they are also asked for a code that just received through SMS. Probably to access more WhatsApp accounts, although the INCIBE does not need this extreme.
What to do if you are a victim of WhatsApp and Bizum cybethaf
Incibe explains the steps that the victim of this scam recommended:
- Alert to contact from whose account received the call from cybers that his has been stolen and is being used for these purposes.
- Notify the rest of the contacts that your account has been hacked and is being used to scam money with Bizum.
- Try to reinstall WhatsApp to force again a security code that allows you to recover the account control. In case of indicating a waiting time between 9 to 11 hours, try later.
- Contact WhatsApp support in support@whatsapp.com.
- If by this means it is not possible, to contact the WhatsApp data protection delegate Through this link.
- If a month passes and no response is received or this is negative, go to the Spanish data protection agency to denounce the lack of attention to law.
- Collect all possible tests.
- Make a face -to -face complaint before the State Security Forces and Bodies.
How to prevent WhatsApp and Bizum scam
Incibe performs 3 recommendations that could have avoided this case:
- Use the two steps of WhatsApp. This system requires a user confirmation on your own device to authorize the installation of the WhatsApp account in another. You can activate it in Settings> Account> Verification in two steps.
- Do not share a screen if you do not have the assurance that whoever is on the other side of the screen is the one who claims to be.
- Never share any code you receive on the phone.