Be aware of banking scams on WhatsApp : The whole world is in tune with Corona. Lockdown is now on the third stage in the country to prevent the Covid epidemic. Online usage has increased as everyone stays home during this period. People rely heavily on apps like WhatsApp and Zoom on smartphones to keep in touch with their friends. WhatsApp is the main source of that.
Yes, Facebook owned Messaging App WhatsApp has the largest number of active users in the world. Hackers are more likely to cheat users through WhatsApp. WhatsApp users should therefore beware of links / messages from unknown sources.
SBI warned its customers last year about WhatsApp OTP scams. Most are already aware of banking scams. Nevertheless, remember these steps for the safety of banking frauds.
1. Do not send private information such as your bank account details, debit / credit card pins, internet banking passwords, CVV codes to anyone on WhatsApp.
2. Don’t reply to any WhatsApp message asking for an OTP number that may be accepted on WhatsApp. The amount of the transaction is not important but should be taken care of.
3. Don’t download any files sent by strangers or click on links.
4. If you lose your phone, deactivate your WhatsApp. Again you can log in to the new phone.
5. Delete all WhatsApp chats and media data. If you are planning to sell the phone or give it to someone else, restore your phone in a factory setting.
6. Do not respond to any suspicious WhatsApp messages.
7. Ignore any link or messages coming from unknown numbers.
8. Do not return any fraudulent messages on WhatsApp.
9. Disable automatic downloads on WhatsApp. It helps you to control downloads more accurately and save your data.
10. Don’t use WhatsApp when you are on public WiFi or open WiFi network.
