There has been new hype recently for WhatsApp users around what is being called, WhatsApp Calling. If you receive a message from a friend saying, "Hey, I am inviting you to try WhatsApp Calling, click here to activate now: http://whatsappcalling(.)com." Be very careful! It is possible that you are being scammed… do not click on the link or anything within the message.
Officially, WhatsApp DOES have a calling service that allows its users to call their friends and other contacts through the instant message application using Voice over Internet Protocol (or VoIP), but the project itself is in the beta stage and WhatsApp is specifically targeting users that don’t regularly use their application to try out the new feature. WhatsApp programmers are currently analyzing call quality, encryption, security and data rates required to enable these features for everyone in their large user base.
In case you are thinking about how you would obtain an invite, so as to enable the calling feature in WhatsApp, you have to get it from friends who already have this feature enabled. WhatsApp has restricted the number of individuals who can utilize this particular feature because, as previously stated, this is only in the beta phase. Once you accept an invite to the WhatsApp Calling feature, your WhatsApp application will show voice calling as "enabled."
Image Source: Google Image – Image showing the growth statistics of WhatsApp. Imagine what would happen if this scam affects everyone.
This feature has created a lot of buzz and there are now a few extortionists and con artists prepared to take this remarkable chance to trick you and infect your cell phone with malware. Such fabricated messages are making their rounds on WhatsApp, as well as Twitter and Facebook, and are being sent by the hackers to many users.
The scam message expresses that he/she is welcome to attempt the WhatsApp Calling feature and can enable it by sending a welcome to ten more users. Once the message is forwarded to ten different users, the ‘Continue’ button becomes available, allowing you "enable" the feature.
Now the magic of scam begins… once the victimized person clicks on the ‘Continue’ button, a web page opens up, taking the person to a site which asks you to take a survey. The survey then tells the person to download applications required to complete it.
In the off chance that the person endures downloading all of the malware apps, by the end of it all they will come to find that there is no such WhatsApp Calling feature being enabled.
Furthermore, the hackers make money by hijacking the phone and forcing the victim take random surveys, click on promotions, and download unwanted and unnecessary apps. Even more damaging is the risk that these applications most likely contain even MORE malware, possibly resulting in a ‘back door’ for a hacker to exploit one’s cell phone and endanger their security or personal data.
So the conclusion of this article is that, in the event that you ever get a message from a friend which states, "Hey, I am inviting you to try WhatsApp Calling, click here to activate now: http://WhatsappCalling(.)com," do not get carried away. You are possibly being defrauded and are becoming a part of the major money making scheme for a group of hackers.
Sources:
Just Web World
Recomendations: Protect your PC & Mobile devices from malicious hackers, and surf anonymously.
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