National Police alerts over 'WhatsApp scam' in La Rioja
The National Police warns of a scam impersonating contacts on WhatsApp to steal accounts and banking data. Cases have already been registered in La Rioja.
National Police alerts over 'WhatsApp scam' in La Rioja
The National Police has launched a public awareness campaign about the so-called 'WhatsApp scam', according to cadenaser.com. Through this fraud, the perpetrators steal the victim's messaging account in order to impersonate their identity to their contacts, with the aim of obtaining money or banking data.
The method used begins when the criminal poses as an acquaintance and asks the victim to forward them a verification code. With that number, they manage to take control of the WhatsApp account and thus trigger a chain of deceptions. Laura Olaso, spokeswoman for the National Police in La Rioja, clarifies that "that criminal obtains all our contacts and our information, with the aim of asking for money or obtaining personal data which they then sell to other platforms".
To avoid falling victim to this type of fraud, the force recommends always verifying the identity of the person contacting you through a telephone call, even if the message comes from a profile with a known photo. They also warn that no link received through this channel should be clicked on.
In the event of having been a victim of the scam, the National Police establishes three immediate steps: notify all contacts to break the chain of deceptions, go to the police station as soon as possible to file a report, and provide any available evidence, such as screenshots.
According to the National Police in La Rioja, some cases of this type of criminal activity have already been registered in the region, although to date no victim has suffered an actual monetary theft.
Source: Google News ES — Crime (es)