Beware of this new WhatsApp ‘sent by friends’ Scam tricking users to open Malware

With more than one billion monthly active users with more than 42 billion messages being exchanged daily, WhastApp is a green pasture for scammers. According to new reports by BT, WhatsApp is being targeted by a new scam which tricks users into disclosing personal information.

The links appear to come from a friend and leads users to a discount page which asks users to fill personal details. Some users can also being led to a fake website which infects the phone with some kind of malware and gains personal information.

The message convinces users to forward message to 10-20 contacts, so the user can receive promotional discounts such as $5 coupon for Domino’s, Starbucks etc. The message is being circulated all over the world in several languages so the attacks can be customized for each market.

To easiest way to save yourself from this scam is to avoid message that includes instructions to forward the message in order to get some discount or a reward. Be careful while clicking on a shortened link sent to you whether it is in an Email or via a messenger app such as WhatsApp.