A chain letter is creating several problems for users: with the promise of seeing sexy images of Italian celebrities activates paid services
A beginning of 2019 under the banner of WhatsApp scams. The new year does not seem to have made the serial scammers lose the habit that by now exploit the application to spread their messages. This time to report the danger are the same users who in recent days have received a message from unknown numbers inviting them to press a link to get sexy photos of Italian celebrities.
These are the classic chain letters that very often go viral on WhatsApp and are shared within groups. In this case, however, the message hides a trap that can cost users dearly. Clicking on the link in the message you are sent to a page where you have to enter your personal data: by completing the procedure you risk giving valuable information to hackers and activate paid subscriptions that take money directly from your phone credit. It's a well-executed scam that has claimed a lot of victims in the last few days.
How the scam works on WhatsApp
By now, users should have the antibodies to defend themselves from the chain letters that take place every day on WhatsApp. Instead, many still get duped by messages promising sexy pictures of celebrities, or iPhones or Samsung Galaxy S9 as gifts. The objectives of these scam messages are mainly twofold: to get hold of users' personal data in order to sell them on the dark web or to use them in other online frauds, and to activate paid subscriptions that deduct money directly from the remaining credit.
The operation of the scam is very simple: you receive a message from an unknown number in which you are invited to click on a link in order to get naked pictures of celebrities. Clicking on the link opens a form for you to fill out with your personal information. Once you've completed the operation, instead of receiving the photos, you activate an unsolicited subscription. Fortunately, you can deactivate the subscription and get your money back by calling your carrier's service center.
How to defend yourself against WhatsApp scams
A little bit of cunning is all it takes to defend yourself against these scams that infest WhatsApp. First of all, no one can have sexy pictures of actresses or models, because they would risk being sued for invasion of privacy. Also, never trust anyone who asks you for your personal information: you can't know in whose hands it ends up and what use they can make of it. When you receive a message from a Chain Saint Anthony, ignore it and you will save time and money.