Many WhatsApp users in India have reported receiving a slew of missed calls from international numbers, mainly from users registered as ‘business’ accounts, over the last two weeks.
Those who text back are frequently promised “work from home” employment, including “liking” specific things on the internet. However, it is a slippery slope, and the individual ends up being scammed of money.
What’s With Rising Fraud Calls?
According to an investigation conducted by The Indian Express, the heart of this scam is a multi-million-dollar enterprise in which scammers obtain overseas numbers primarily through three methods.
First, there are websites that provide free access to virtual phone numbers from any country. Second, sites that generate such numbers for a fee paid in cryptocurrency’ and, last, a vibrant ecosystem of users on platforms that generate such numbers such as Telegram and eBay.
The agent added that a fraudster who plans to contact several persons does not even need to call each one individually because automated dialer software is available. Agents noted that free websites’ error rate is higher with free websites because they provide publicly displayed numbers that anyone can utilise.
Anand V, cybersecurity expert stated, “For people in that industry, it is not very difficult to procure an international number. That, however, is only a small part of it. The real issue is WhatsApp allowing calls from unknown numbers.”
Also Read: Bengaluru Woman Savagely Trolls A Scammer Offering Fake Job
What Did The Indian Government Say?
The government has taken notice of the scam, with Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar sending a notice to WhatsApp. In response, a Whatsapp spokeswoman stated that the company has “stepped up” its artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, saying that it will eventually reduce spam calls by 50%.
The IT Minister said that they will work with the Telecom Department to ensure that platforms generating such cloned numbers are blocked in the country. “If a platform (WhatsApp) is allowing someone to operate with a fake mobile number, there is something fundamentally wrong in the way they are signing up people,” he added.
How To Stay Safe?
Experts advise users not to respond to such random calls and messages from numbers beginning with +254, +84, 63, or other overseas numbers. Simply ignore or reject them, and report and block those numbers.
A message from a foreign number promising financial benefits, such as a prize or lottery win, is most certainly a hoax. Respond to these messages with silence.
Enable two-factor authentication to better safeguard your WhatsApp account from unlawful access. When entering into your account, you will be required to input a verification code in addition to your password.
Image Credits: Google Images
Feature image designed by Saudamini Seth
Sources: Indian Express, WION, India Today
Find the blogger: Palak Dogra
This post is tagged under: scam, scammers, whatsapp, whatsapp scam, technology, fraud, online scams, trolling a scammer, whatsapp fraud calls, fraud numbers, international calls
Disclaimer: We do not hold any right, copyright over any of the images used, these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.
[…] Also Read: Why Are Numbers Of WhatsApp Fraud Calls Rising And How To Stay Safe? […]