This Scam Impersonates WhatsApp And Offers Users Free Internet

Aadhya Khatri - Aug 02, 2019


This Scam Impersonates WhatsApp And Offers Users Free Internet

If you receive a message saying that you just got 1000 GB of free data from an international brand, do not believe it, because it is s scam

If you receive a message saying that you will get 1000 GB of free data from an international brand, do not believe it, because it is s scam. This kind of fraudulent act has reached a number of users al over the world.

scam-whatsapp-survey
You must answer a survey and share the message to get "free Internet"

ESET, a Slovakia-based cybersecurity firm, was the first to discover this scam. They said that this campaign’s server is not WhatsApp's and when users click on the link, they would be taken to a survey.

Screenshot 3

The revenue the people behind this scam get increases when it gets more clicks. In 2017, a similar act surfaced which also offered free Internet access, but in reality, users had to download an app and subscribe to expensive SMS service.

When investigating the domain, ESET found that it also hosts several other offers and campaigns, each of them looks like it comes from a reputable company, like Rolex, Adidas, Nestlé, and many more. The screenshot below shows how the bad actors behind these scams multiply the campaigns.

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The search ESET conducted

Scams built on social engineering is widespread as the method is highly effective. The attackers know that many people cannot resist the temptation of receiving something or helping someone else, so they exploit this very trait of our to deceive us.

If you want to avoid being scammed, the best way to do this is to update our knowledge of the methods con artists usually use and keep an eye for red flags. If you think something is too good to be true, think twice before clicking or accepting anything.

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