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WhatsApp 99p lifetime subscription scam: how to stay safe

Rights, Scams and Politics

Updated on 02 June 2017 | 0 Comments

A new WhatsApp scam has cropped up asking users of the popular messaging service to purchase a lifetime subscription.

Scammers are targeting WhatsApp users with a lifetime subscription scam aimed at stealing victims’ banking details.

The scam messages claim the user’s subscription has expired, and are asked to purchase lifetime access for 99p by following the link included.

The page is of course managed by scammers and aimed at garnering payment details.

What the scam message looks like

Above is an example of one of many being shared on social media. In full, the text message reads:

“Your subscription has expired. To verify your account and purchase a lifetime subscription for just 0.99 GBP simply tap on this link”

This is a particularly clever con as WhatsApp did charge users 99p to use in the past, and only went free in 2016.

So, many users might be duped into believing the app has gone back to its subscription model.

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What to do if you get it

The app is definitely still free. If you receive the message, delete it immediately. It’s also worth ensuring your anti-virus software is up to date.

Given the popularity of the messaging app, it’s sadly not the first time we’ve seen scammers targeting Whatsapp.

Last year, scammers tried to trick Android phone and tablet users into downloading a malicious ‘upgrade’ called WhatsApp Gold onto their device.

Users received a message claiming they have been given an exclusive chance to make use of an improved version of the popular messaging app, which allows them to make video calls and send 100 photos at once.

It invited users to sign up by clicking on a link, which actually sent them to a fake website page and infected their device with malware.

WhatsApp Gold scam (Image: Action Fraud)

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