Have you ever received a robocall requesting that rather than a call-back, the caller wants you to connect on WhatsApp? If so, you're not alone. Scammers love to move the conversation away from a voice call and onto the private messaging app.
WhatsApp is one of the most popular communication apps in the world, and Hiya is seeing WhatsApp scams in countries across the globe. There’s not a single WhatsApp scam; instead, there are a variety of high-volume fraud calls that originate with voice and then continue within WhatsApp.
Consumers using Hiya’s spam protection service via their carrier, phone manufacturer, or the Hiya Spam Blocker app, can tap a prompt on their phone to report fraud and nuisance calls. They can also leave a comment about the nature of the call. Here’s a sampling of comments from Hiya users reporting scams where the caller wants to connect on WhatsApp:
“Call from an unknown number asking me to add them on WhatsApp.” – Hiya user in the UK
“Fake Charles Schwab investment opportunity asking me to sign up on WhatsApp.” – Hiya user in the US
“Caller claimed I had a crypto account with $100,000 in it, and needed to connect with him on WhatsApp to unlock my funds. I do not have any crypto accounts.” – Hiya user in Canada
“Supposedly offered a job for 300€/day at TikTok and asked to add their number on WhatsApp.” – Hiya user in France
“They called me pretending to be infojobs.net, a job search site, and a recording came up directing me to text them on WhatsApp.” – Hiya user in Spain
“Quote: ‘Hi Dad, this is my new phone number. Can you send me a test message via WhatsApp?’ And all this while my daughter is sitting next to me.” – Hiya user in Germany
“They say my resume is suitable for a job opening and asked to add them on WhatsApp. There they will ask you to click on suspicious links and make payments.” – Hiya user in Brazil
Why would a scammer direct someone to WhatsApp? WhatsApp is a private messaging app with end-to-end encryption. Scammers love that anonymity. Also, by avoiding a voice conversion, the call recipient is less likely to be tipped off to a scam, such as if they hear an unfamiliar accent, call center background noise, or a poor phone connection.
There are ways to protect against WhatsApp scams. To start, never connect with someone you don’t know, and decline any requests from phone numbers you don’t recognize. And even if you do recognize the phone number, it’s not uncommon for WhatsApp accounts to get hacked, so if the request seems out of place, it’s best to contact the individual directly before connecting on WhatsApp.
The best way to avoid WhatsApp scams that originate over the phone is to prevent them from getting through in the first place. Check with your phone carrier to see if it offers spam protection at the network level, using a solution such as Hiya Protect, which can block scam calls and label likely nuisance calls.
If your carrier or device manufacturer does not offer protection, you can download one of the two Hiya mobile apps: Hiya Spam Blocker (free) or the Hiya AI Phone. For business professionals, Hiya recommends the Hiya AI Phone app, which features:
Learn more about the Hiya AI Phone app and start with a free two-week trial.