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WhatsApp OTP scams are increasingly common, with hackers using social engineering to trick users into sharing their OTPs. This allows them to access WhatsApp accounts, potentially leading to financial fraud and identity theft. Never share your OTP with anyone.
With over 400 million users in India, WhatsApp is a popular target for hackers, which is why frauds on the messaging service are so common. Over the last several years, we have seen similar WhatsApp scams in a variety of ways, and it appears that the hackers are becoming more adept at identifying their targets without raising any red flags. One-time passwords (OTPs) that you receive for logins or other private actions like making payments are the most recent type of WhatsApp fraud. Here's how an OTP turns into a simple means for hackers to access your WhatsApp account and why it's risky.
Since their phone number is connected to all of their digital accounts, OTPs are necessary for everyone. By sending an SMS to the operator, WhatsApp uses OTPs to verify that you are the original owner and validate your identity. Giving OTPs to strangers as a gift is therefore a surefire way to end up in trouble. The issue is that hackers are now more skilled and your data is readily accessible online.
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How many times have you encountered a fraudster posing as a close friend or family member who requests your OTP, claiming that they unintentionally sent it to you? These are the primary strategies used by hackers who win the victim's confidence and use this login technique to access their WhatsApp account. "The SMS verification code must be sent to your phone number in order for someone attempting to take over your account to succeed," WhatsApp advises.
Due to the messaging app's strict encryption technology, WhatsApp finds it difficult to identify the user attempting to log in or validate your account. If that occurs, these fraudsters may try to obtain your personal credentials in order to empty your bank accounts or send a distress message requesting money. For your protection, it is standard procedure to never orally provide or transmit OTPs to anybody who requests them.
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Because these frauds have grown so significant for its users, WhatsApp now has a set of standards for them. When someone attempts to create a WhatsApp account using your phone number, WhatsApp will alert you via push notification to safeguard your account. The platform recommends on its help page that you keep your verification code private in order to protect your account. Ignoring messages that request your OTP or other private information is the safest approach to prevent falling victim to these WhatsApp OTP scams.
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