About suspicious messages and scams

Copy link
Creating a safe space for our users to communicate with each other is our priority. We work diligently to reduce any spam or unwanted messages that might be sent on WhatsApp. However, just like regular SMS or phone calls, it's possible for other WhatsApp users who have your phone number to contact you. They may or may not be saved in your contacts.
Some people might send you messages because they want to trick you into giving them personal or financial information, or they want to spread misinformation. Scams can happen anywhere and affect anyone, but you can help protect your account by knowing what to look out for.

How to identify suspicious messages

There are clues that might indicate you’ve received a suspicious message, or that the sender can’t be trusted. Look out for these signs from the sender:
  • Typos or grammatical mistakes
  • Asks you to tap on a link, activate a new feature through a link, or download an app
  • Asks you to share your personal information, like credit card or bank account numbers, birth date, or passwords
  • Asks you to forward a message
  • Asks for money or claiming that you have to pay to use WhatsApp
  • Pretends they're someone you know
  • The message is about the lottery, gambling, a job, an investment, or a loan
  • Chats with you to gain your trust before asking for personal information
When you receive messages from someone that is not in your contacts, we will show you signals in the message that you can use to determine how to respond. These signals will let you know if they're your contact, if you have groups in common, and if their phone number is registered in a different country. From there, you can decide if you should reply, add them as a contact, block them or report them.
Note: WhatsApp is a free app and you don’t have to pay to use it. If someone claims differently, they are likely after your financial or personal information.

Best practices if you receive a suspicious message

Use these best practices to help protect yourself:
  • If a message looks suspicious or sounds too good to be true, don't tap, share, or forward it. If you identify a suspicious message, learn more about how to protect yourself from suspicious messages.
  • As a best practice, if you aren’t sure whether something is true or don’t know who wrote the message you received, don’t forward it. Learn more about how to prevent misinformation.
  • Always look closely at a link or file before opening it. At a glance, links and files might appear legitimate, but could be malicious. Learn more about suspicious files and suspicious links.
  • If you’re unsure of an unknown contact’s identity, ask them personal questions to confirm their identity. You could also confirm their identity with a voice or video call.
  • You can also report the message, block the sender, and delete the message. Learn how to report a contact or unknown number.

Common examples of scams

Understanding common scams could help you recognize a scammer and protect yourself. Someone attempting to scam you might message you, call you, or add you to a group. See some common scam tactics below:
Romance or relationship scam: Some scammers will pretend to establish a relationship or emotional connection with you, and then request money or a loan. They could also make plans to meet and then cancel the plans at the last minute.
Employment scam: You could also receive fake job opportunities from scammers. Someone could pretend to be a recruiter at a well-known company to trick you into sharing personal information, or ask for money as part of a job application. These scams can often include well-paid and work-from-home job opportunities.
Investment scam: A scammer could share a fake investment opportunity with the promise of low risk and high returns to encourage you to share personal information or money. These types of scams are typically focused on crypto-currencies, stocks, bonds, commodities, and property. Learn more about online investment scams.
Impersonation scam: It’s common for scammers to pretend to be a friend or family member to trick you into sharing money or personal information. Scammers could also pretend to be a celebrity or a well-known business or company.

Yes
No