New cyber fraud alert: WhatsApp users get International spam calls

These calls, both audio and video, often originate from countries like Malaysia, Kenya, and Vietnam, as indicated by the ISD codes given.

Several WhatsApp users have reported receiving audio and video calls from unknown international number. Users are understandably bothered over how scammers obtained their phone numbers.

These calls, both audio and video, often originate from countries such as Ethiopia (+251), Malaysia (+60), Indonesia (+62), Kenya (+254), Vietnam (+84) and others. It is also essential to note that these calls do not necessarily originate from these countries as WhatsApp calls are made over the Internet.

These international numbers are reportedly sold by agencies to scammers in the country.

A Twitter user wrote ” Receiving International Missed Calls from #WhatsApp #whatsappscam Is it a new scam?

Another scam that has been reported by WhatsApp users is receiving job offers via WhatsApp messages. Scammers pose as representatives of reputed companies, offering part-time work and luring users to earn extra.

These scammers initially ask the users to pay a small amount as a registration fee. The scammers then credit a small reward for completing the given task, which leads the users to trust them, which leads them to find themselves caught up in a larger scam.

What can WA users do to stay safe? 

The ground rule to not fall victim to the ongoing scam is to not respond to unknown international numbers, ignore to reject calls, and block the numbers.

How to block and report a number on WhatsApp 

• To block a number on WhatsApp, users can open a chat with the contact, tap More > Block > Block.
• Users can access their blocked contacts list by opening the app and tapping on More options > Settings > Privacy > Blocked contacts.
• They can add contacts to the list by searching for or selecting the contact they want to block.
• It is important to note that if a contact is blocked, users will not receive any messages, calls, or status updates from the user.
• WhatsApp users can also report the contact by tapping Report contact > Block.