WhatsApp scam uses contest links to hijack user accounts, experts warn

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – Security experts are warning WhatsApp users about a viral scam that uses compromised friend accounts to steal access to personal profiles and contact lists.

The scam begins when a user receives a message from a contact they know asking them to vote for a child or pet in an online contest. The message includes a link that directs users to a page designed to look like WhatsApp, where they are prompted to “verify” their account or connect a device.

If a user follows the prompts, they grant hackers full access to their account. Scammers then hijack the profile to target the victim’s contacts, continuing the cycle…

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