Meta removed 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts associated with cyber crime and digital scams just in the second half of 2025. But the attacks show no sign of slowing down because they are low on cost and easy to spin up, with chatbots executing most of the legwork on autopilot. However, there’s a flip side to all this: social engineering only works when you don’t know what to look for.
Most of these scams follow a specific playbook and have a similar pattern of execution. If you know what to watch out for, you can stop them before they compromise your data or lead you into a financial trap. Below are seven of the most common scams that WhatsApp cybercriminals like to run, with tips on how to safely avoid every one of them. Learn how to tell when you’re about to be scammed, enable new features that protect your account privacy, and know how to respond when an attack is already underway.
You can enable two-step verification on WhatsApp under Settings > Account Credit: MetaAvoiding this attack is also equally simple. Just don’t share your WhatsApp verification code to anyone over a call or text, even if it seems like someone from your contact list. If you receive a message from WhatsApp with a new verification code, take it as a sign that someone’s attempting to hijack your account and don’t just assume it’s a glitch.
Account > Two-step verification in the Android or iOS app. That way, an attacker with a stolen verification code won’t be able to get into your account right away, because they will also need to verify the request using your preferred authentication method.
Faking an emergency
Citing an emergency creates panic within people, which makes them less likely to verify the authenticity of the request. By the time the original victim gets around to sharing that their account has been hijacked, multiple people have already been scammed using that stolen account. Scammers will sometimes even use AI-generated voice messages to make the request seem legitimate, provided they already know what the real account holder sounds like.
I always tell my friends and acquaintances never to transfer funds or honor a sensitive request sent over text without double-checking if it’s real. When you get a request like this on WhatsApp, simply call that person directly over the phone, using a known contact number that’s not been recently changed. If the requester claims that the number has changed or the phone is out of battery, that’s a red flag. If you’re worried that the request might be authentic, call someone else who lives near that person or go over physically to verify.
Scammers often use hijacked WhatsApp accounts to ask for money Credit: LifehackerSlowly, the requests grow in financial value until the victim realizes something’s up and calls it off. Family emergencies, personal cash flow issues, and even investment offers in cryptocurrency or private funds are often used to pressure victims into giving away money. If someone you’ve never met in physical space asks you for cash, that’s an immediate giveaway that something is wrong. Normal people rarely ask someone for money unless they know them well in person, so use caution whenever you spot a request like that.
Premium app subscription invites
If you receive a message inviting you to WhatsApp Gold, WhatsApp Premium, or any other equivalent subscription tier that cannot be verified through official sources, do not click on the link. Also generally avoid installing apps that don’t come from official sources like Google Play or App Store, unless you explicitly trust the developer sending you the link. Apps installed from third-party links are not subject to the usual security audit that official marketplaces require them to clear, which increases the risk of being infected by malware. Most smartphones disable third-party app installation by default for this exact reason.
Privacy > Advanced inside WhatsApp and toggle on Disable link previews. While link previews in WhatsApp are generally safe, they can expose your device’s metadata and general geolocation to the website administrator for a small period, which can be used to escalate more sophisticated cyber attacks.
Disable link previews is an advanced WhatsApp privacy feature you can enable with a click Credit: MetaIf someone claims to be a bank employee who needs you to share a one-time password for a security check, offer to call them back using a known official number instead of continuing the conversation in the same (potentially compromised) channel. Same goes for anyone who identifies as a local law enforcement or tax department official. They could threaten you with non-compliance if you refuse, but remember that you can always call the agency and verify it with them officially, instead of acting on a random call. Sometimes, scammers even pretend to be tech support and ask for remote access to your device so they can troubleshoot an issue. IT staff knows not to do this outside of established channels.
Gamified job and interview scams
According to the FTC, people in the United States lost over $500 million in 2024 to job scams alone. With unemployment rates being as high as they are, most people don’t want to antagonize anyone coming to them with a job offer. Scammers know this and they count on it. It may start by getting a WhatsApp text from an unknown number with an easy remote work offer. Sometimes, they will even pay you small amounts to establish trust in return for simple jobs like boosting a product listing.
Your best bet for spotting job scams on WhatsApp is to never trust an unknown number with an offer of employment or even an interview. No matter how small the request, it may offer a way for them to compromise your device or gain access to your accounts. Simply ask them to communicate using an official company email address or landline. If they refuse, that’s a strong indication you're being targeted.
A few more WhatsApp security tips
WhatsApp scammers often use real people’s likenesses to perpetuate scams. If you’re worried about your profile picture or identity being used to commit fraud, you can restrict your profile photo, about section, and activity status to Contacts only by navigating to Settings > Privacy.
Linked devices. If you’re not sure if a log in came from a device you own, you should log out of all active sessions just to be safe.
Privacy, you can choose to toggle on silence unknown callers to avoid being approached by scammers and attackers using numbers not in your contact list.
Account > Username on your mobile app.
When you suspect that something is a scam, use the Report and block option to notify WhatsApp of the attempt so it can put the attacker’s account under review.
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