Procon of São Paulo warned about a WhatsApp account cloning scheme that has been victimizing consumers across the state. The scam works simply and effectively: criminals pretend to be employees of purchasing platforms and ask the victim to share a six-digit code, claiming it is necessary to activate an ad. In reality, this code is the application’s verification key, and with it the scammer can completely access the person’s account.
Como works the cloning scheme
Após gains access to the cloned account, the criminal starts sending messages to all of the victim’s contacts requesting money. In most cases, the scammer simulates an emergency situation or urgent need, increasing the chance of obtaining transfers. The contact receives the message apparently from a friend or relative, without suspecting that it is a criminal operating the account.
Segundo Guilherme Farid, chief of staff at Procon-SP, the main scams carried out by WhatsApp involve sending messages with fraudulent links. Esses links can direct the consumer to fake pages from known suppliers or trick the user into providing the application access code. “In this opportunity, the scammer hijacks all of the person’s data”, explains Farid.
Prejuízos financial and data theft
The consequences for victims are serious and multifaceted. Financial loss is the main one, whether due to purchases made on fake pages that never deliver the product, or through extortion to regain access to the cloned account. Além In addition, the criminal uses the compromised account to send fraudulent links to all contacts, multiplying the number of possible victims and expanding the reach of the scam.
- Clonagem of the account and theft of personal data.
- Envio of fraudulent messages to victim’s contacts.
- Solicitação of money simulating emergencies.
- Disseminação of malicious links to increase the number of victims.
Proteção and recommended security measures
Procon-SP advises consumers to never share the six-number WhatsApp code with anyone, regardless of the alleged reason. One of the most effective measures is to activate “2-step verification” in the app. Para this, just go to “settings”, then “account” and select “two-step verification”. Esse feature adds an extra layer of protection by requiring an additional password to access the account on new devices.
Fernando Capez, secretary of consumer protection, warns that scams on the internet and social networks have increased significantly. “Consumers must always be suspicious, pay extra attention and never provide passwords or sequences of numbers”, he emphasizes. If Caso has already been a victim of this type of scam, the person should contact support@whatsapp.com and request temporary account deactivation.
Dicas essentials to avoid being scammed
Procon-SP released a set of recommendations to protect consumers against these scams. Não provide data, passwords or verification codes to anyone. Desconfie of offers of help, sweepstakes or promises of money sent via WhatsApp, social networks or email, and avoid clicking on suspicious links. Não share links and information that you are unsure of the origin of, and never fill out forms outside of the companies’ official websites.
Baixe apps only from official stores such as Google Play or App Store. If in doubt, seek guidance from a trusted family member or friend. Mantenha antivirus updated on computer, tablet and smartphone. It is important to remember that Procon-SP does not request information from consumers via WhatsApp and does not send messages through the application; the institution must only be contacted through its official channels.