- Cybersecurity experts issued an urgent warning to South Africans regarding widespread WhatsApp account takeover scams
- Fraudsters rely on SIM-swapping, fraudulent verification calls, and malicious links to hijack accounts and target victims' contacts for money
- Enabling two-step verification and double-checking sudden network loss are among the key steps users can take to safeguard their accounts
Source: UGC
South Africans are being urged to exercise heightened caution as cybercriminals increasingly target WhatsApp accounts to carry out fraudulent schemes. Scammers are gaining unauthorised access to user accounts, allowing them to impersonate victims and solicit money from unsuspecting family members, friends, and colleagues.
The warning comes as cybercriminals employ sophisticated methods to bypass security protocols. According to cybersecurity expert Boikokobetso Makhetlane, as cited by local digital news platform The South African, perpetrators frequently utilise SIM-swapping tactics to gain complete control over a victim's mobile SIM card without their knowledge. Once access is established, fraudsters often place calls or send messages while pretending to represent service providers, convincing users to reveal confidential verification codes.
How bad actors exploit compromised accounts
After commandeering a WhatsApp account, scammers reach out to saved contacts to request urgent financial assistance. Because these requests originate from trusted phone numbers, contacts often fall victim to the scam before realising the account owner has been compromised.
Furthermore, Makhetlane warned that hijackers gain access to private message histories, potentially exposing confidential credentials, banking details, passwords, and home addresses. To guard against account takeovers, users are advised to turn on two-step verification within WhatsApp, carefully verify any financial requests over a direct phone call, check linked devices regularly, and refrain from clicking on unsolicited links.
Source: UGC
"GhostPairing" tactics exploit linked device features globally
Beyond complete account lockouts, digital threats on messaging platforms continue to evolve across international borders. According to an analysis published by international cybersecurity blog Avast, attackers are increasingly using social engineering tactics known as "GhostPairing" to silently connect unauthorised web sessions. Under this method, scammers trick victims into entering a numeric pairing code under the guise of viewing a photo or verifying identity, giving the perpetrator real-time access to incoming messages and photos without ever logging the victim out of their primary phone app. Security analysts emphasise that clearing unrecognised sessions under WhatsApp's "Linked Devices" settings remains a vital safeguard.
Other WhatsApp-related articles
- South African WhatsApp users are being targeted by cybercriminals who hijack accounts through tactics like SIM swaps and linked device scams to impersonate victims and solicit money from their contacts.
- A High Court ruling confirmed that forwarding defamatory, discriminatory, or harmful content in messaging group chats on WhatsApp carries full legal liability, leaving users facing potential fines of up to R50,000 or jail time.
- WhatsApp has introduced a major calling upgrade for South African users, enabling full web-based audio and video calls, seamless mid-conversation call transfers between devices, and end-to-end encrypted meeting controls.
Source: Briefly News
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