In the last few hours, many users report that they have been contacted by a hypothetical Vodafone center to change their phone offer, but it is a scam
The potential and uses we can make of WhatsApp are practically infinite. Sending messages is just one of the many features available: we can make calls and video calls, send images, videos and documents. WhatsApp, however, also offers the possibility for criminals to cheat people: it is very easy to get in touch with a person (just know the number) and convince him to buy a product or change phone operator.
This is exactly what is happening in recent hours in Italy. Many users, in fact, report to have been contacted on WhatsApp by a person pretending to be a Vodafone operator and promising fantastic discounts if you change phone rates. This is logically a scam and Vodafone is nothing more than a victim. The phone operator, in fact, does not contact people on WhatsApp to offer new rates and, indeed, on its Twitter account is warning its customers: in case they were contacted by self-styled Vodafone operators, they should contact customer service as soon as possible.
WhatsApp, the Vodafone operator scam
A scam artfully concocted and that is affecting thousands of users. We are talking about the scam that in these hours has targeted WhatsApp and despite itself the phone operator Vodafone. What is happening? A crook who calls himself Emma Bonini is contacting many users (always using the same number), posing as a Vodafone operator with the intent to offer new phone rates, both for mobile and landline. The goal of the scammer, however, is to obtain personal data and documents (driver's license and identity card) in order to resell them in the dark web.
This is certainly not a novelty in the world of scams: it is not the first time that criminals try to obtain personal information in a fraudulent way. In many cases, the victims are people who live alone and have little experience with the world of smartphones and computing. It would take very little to defend against WhatsApp scams.
How to defend against WhatsApp scams
Ignorance always creates big problems. And even in the case of WhatsApp scams, it is the lack of knowledge on the subject that creates problems for users. Recognizing a WhatsApp scam is very simple: in most cases the crook promises gifts or coupons, provided that the user clicks on a link and provides his personal information, including identity documents. We remind you that you should never provide personal information on WhatsApp, especially if you do not know the person you are talking to.
Also, in this specific case, Vodafone does not contact new potential customers through the messaging application, but does so only through official channels. If you receive a message on WhatsApp inviting you to switch phone operators, call customer service immediately to find out if it is a scam. Vodafone, for example, these days is warning its customers about potential scammers.