WhatsApp scams on the rise: Predictions for 2025 and key trends to watch

WhatsApp scams are projected to cause over $1.5 billion in losses globally by 2025. Romance scams, family impersonation, and investment fraud are expected to be the most prevalent, with emotional manipulation tactics continuing to deceive victims.

WhatsApp has more than 2.7 billion accounts globally, with 75 million users in the United States alone. According to scam figures, WhatsApp has become a vital component of our everyday communication.

More than $300 million was lost by Americans in 2022 as a result of text message scams, many of which used WhatsApp, according to Norton. It's become more difficult to distinguish a trustworthy communication from a scam as scammers employ strategies including romance, impersonation, and even bitcoin fraud.

According to VPNRanks, fraudsters will continue to hone their techniques and take advantage of people's emotional weaknesses, resulting in cash losses from WhatsApp scams that will surpass $1.5 billion worldwide by 2025. This startling figure serves as a reminder to all of us that we must be watchful.

In order to forecast the following major trends and provide well-informed forecasts for WhatsApp incidents in 2025, VPNRanks has examined historical data and WhatsApp scam statistics:

1. Emotional manipulation in romance: WhatsApp scams is predicted to reach 108,000 instances in 2025.
2. Family impersonation is predicted to reach 60,000 cases, taking advantage of haste and trust.
3. WhatsApp investment scams: There might be 30,000 instances of cryptocurrency and FX fraud.

4. Monetary Losses: With over 20 billion scam SMS anticipated, total losses may surpass $1.5 billion.
5. Business Risks: Data breaches may result in penalties of more than $12 billion.
6. Target Groups: Youth, communities, and religious organizations will continue to be prime targets for scams.

It is logical to assume that WhatsApp romance scams will continue to be the most common kind of fraud in 2025 based on statistical data and current trends surrounding different kinds of WhatsApp scams.

By 2025, it is anticipated that there would be over 108,000 instances of WhatsApp romance scams. This notable rise is ascribed to scammers' ongoing use of emotional manipulation techniques, which make it hard for victims to identify the fraud until significant financial harm has been done.

WhatsApp is becoming a popular target for fraudsters that try to trick users, steal their personal data, and make them lose money.