Urgent UK WhatsApp warning, beware of 'strange message' targeting your phone

UK WhatsApp users have been placed on red alert after the resurgence of a worrying scam. The latest warning has been issued by the team at Action Fraud who say anyone with the chat app installed on their devices must be on the lookout for 'strange messages' that suddenly appear.

These latest attacks are using the well-known friends and family hack which attempts to trick people into handing over money by pretending to be someone in need.

"Have you received an unusual request on WhatsApp from a family member or friend? If you receive a strange message, always call the person outside of WhatsApp to confirm their identity," Action Fraud explained in a message on X (formerly Twitter ).

For those not aware, these scams often start with a message that simply says "Hi mum".

Cyber crooks then act as if they are a family member with them usually saying they have lost their phone and need urgent financial help to get it replaced. Once the victim replies, the online thieves will ask for money to be transferred to a bank account.

It may sound pretty elaborate but this attack has cost people thousands of pounds in the past.

Stats from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau and Action Fraud revealed that during the first five months of 2023, there were 414 reports of attacks with it costing victims a total of £467,208. That's a vast sum of money with older people usually the most vulnerable to handing over cash.

If you don’t want to be the next target of these attacks the advice is pretty simple.

If you receive any messages that come from an unusual number then be alert as it could be a scam. Action Fraud says anyone getting a text from a 'family member' they aren't sure about should contact the person directly and not to reply.

"If a family member or friend or friend makes an unusual request on WhatsApp, always call the person outside of WhatsApp to confirm their identity."

The UK's national fraud & cyber reporting centre also advises UK users to block the sender so no further chats will be received. It's also a good idea to report messages to Action Fraud especially if you have lost money due to the scam.

Along with Action Fraud telling people to be aware, WhatsApp also has its own advice to help users stay safe on its platform with the Facebook-owned firm saying, "If a message looks suspicious or sounds too good to be true, don't tap, share, or forward it.

"As a best practice, if you aren’t sure whether something is true or don’t know who wrote the message you received, don’t forward it. If you’re unsure of an unknown contact’s identity, ask them a personal question to confirm their identity and if they’re truly a known contact. You could also do a voice or video call with them to confirm their identity."

It's good advice to follow and if you get any new messages appearing in your chats be careful and think before replying.