WhatApp Scam Tricks Users Into Handing Over Subscription Fee
WhatsApp hasn’t charged a subscription since it was first launched in 2010
A WhatsApp scam is doing the rounds that tries to trick users into paying a subscription fee for the messaging app.
Users are being shown a message telling them that their current subscription has expired, pointing them towards a dodgy link where they will be able to pay £0.99 for a lifetime subscription.
It’s unclear how many users have been targeted so far, but many users have taken to Twitter to warn others about the scam.
WhatsApp scam
The full scam message reads: “Your subscription has expired. To verify your account and purchase a lifetime subscription for just 0.99 GDP simply tap on this link.”
WhatsApp hasn’t charged a subscription fee for several years, but users less familiar with the app could certainly be tricked into falling for the scam, primarily due to the small fee that the scammers are asking for.
Anyone who receives the message is advised to delete it immediately and avoid clicking on the link or sending it on to other contacts.
This isn’t the first scam to do the rounds on WhatsApp in recent months. In January fraudsters were claiming to provide a free Wi-Fi service that keeps you connected even when you don’t have a 3G or Wi-Fi connection of your own.
The Facebook-owned app has come under fire in recent times for its stance on encryption, with Home Secretary Amber Rudd accusing it of giving terrorists “a place to hide” in the wake of the Westminster attack in March.
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