A new fraud is targeting WhatsApp users in India by taking advantage of the app’s screen-sharing feature. Users are being tricked by cybercriminals into disclosing private information, which can result in financial loss and other online abuses.
In recent months, India has become increasingly concerned about cyber fraud. It is said that thousands of people have lost lakhs and crores of their hard-earned money as a result of falling for the scams of unidentified individuals using the internet. Scams including work-from-home opportunities, YouTube videos, hotel ratings, “hi mom” schemes (where con artists pose as family members and demand money), and other schemes have all been reported. But the worry is that these cyberhawks always have new tricks up their sleeves, just when you think you’ve seen all of their phishing techniques.
A recent scam that targets WhatsApp’s newly introduced screen-sharing function shows how cybercriminals are always improving their techniques to trick victims. This dishonest strategy, dubbed the “WhatsApp screen share scam,” takes advantage of the platform’s large user base and puts gullible users at serious risk of financial loss and other cyber abuse.
An alleged police officer allegedly called the father of a Uttar Pradesh start-up founder and COO, demanding Rs 1 lakh in extortion. Co-founder and CEO of Pepper Content Rishabh Shekhar claims that his father was informed by the “police office” that he was caught with a racist and that they needed to pay him Rs 1 lakh to prevent Shekhar from being the subject of a formal complaint.
Shekha posted on X, along with a screenshot of the phone number and the image used as the display picture, “My father got a call from this number, with a DP of a police officer claiming I have been caught with a rapist and to protect me from media and FIR, he will need to pay him Rs 1 lakh.” “It was impossible to reach my phone at that precise moment. Fortunately, my father panicked but did not give in. It seemed far-fetched that something like this could have happened during those five minutes. When someone you care about experiences such circumstances, rational reasoning soon fades from your head.”
The Mumbai Police took notice of the situation and advised the business owner to get in touch with the closest police station. The agency wrote, “We kindly ask that you report the matter at your closest police station for additional support.”
In the meantime, several other X users reported having comparable problems.
The WhatsApp screen share scam: what is it?
A dishonest plan known as the WhatsApp screen share scam involves con artists fooling victims into enabling screen sharing on their phones using the WhatsApp app. This fraud targets people by tricking them into giving the scammer instant access to their phone’s screen, in contrast to conventional scams that rely on direct demands for sensitive information. This is accomplished by con artists through identity theft, instilling a sense of urgency, or offering help with phone-related problems.
But, consumers unwittingly give the scammer access to view everything that happens on their screen in real-time as soon as they initiate the screen share. Sensitive data, including one-time passwords (OTPs) for bank accounts, social media accounts, and other crucial services—anything users browse through while the screen is shared—is also accessible outside WhatsApp messaging. With this data, con artists can install malware for follow-up tracking, alter passwords to prevent users from accessing social media, or steal OTPs to empty bank accounts.
The fact that con artists don’t need consumers to actively submit information is what makes this scam so deadly. All users have to do is click a button to allow screen sharing. This seemingly harmless operation gives scammers access to sensitive data without the user’s explicit participation. It is frequently used for legal objectives like help or demonstration. Once acquired, this information can be used to commit other crimes, empty bank accounts, and take over social media accounts.
How to be secure
The following are some crucial pointers to avoid falling for WhatsApp screen-sharing scams:
When you get voice or video calls on WhatsApp from unknown numbers, proceed with caution. Refrain from returning calls from unknown numbers, and if in question, confirm the caller’s identity before taking any action.
Never give out your CVV, credit/debit card number, or OTP to anyone, even if they seem like reasonable demands.
Be sure to keep your passwords private. Never reveal them to anybody, not even those posing as representatives of legitimate organizations.
Make sure the file you wish to display has previously been opened before sharing a screen during a video conference. Avoid opening notepads or messaging apps where you have entered passwords or other sensitive information.