Phishing is increasingly happening over WhatsApp and SMS

Scammers are increasingly trying to find out bank details of users via SMS or WhatsApp.This was revealed in a study by the Dutch Banking Association and the Payment Association Netherlands.

For example, in the first half of 2019 there were more victims than in the last half of 2018.According to the Dutch Association of Banks, this is because phishing is more often done over WhatsApp and SMS these days.

If you have your own phone number on your hosting then sooner or later you may also get a similar message.When a phishing message comes in via WhatsApp or SMS then you can block the sender and further report this to the police.

How to recognize phishing over WhatsApp?

The most important thing with this kind of thing is to know how to recognize it.This is also the case with phishing, when you recognize an attempted scam you cannot fall for it either.

It often happens that the scammer pretends to be a family member or friend.A stolen photograph is often used for this, often taken from Facebook or Twitter.

Often the so-called friend or family member will say that he or she needs money quickly because there is an outstanding account or because they are stuck abroad.They always ask for large sums of money (over 1,000 euros) and they always need it quickly.

Because this is obviously a so-called friend or family member you will be more inclined to transfer it.However, you should never do this, if you have doubts you should ask the person if this is true or not.

Different forms of phishing

Phishing also comes in different forms, such as normal phishing and spear phishing.With spear phishing it is directed at you personally and at the moment you are the only target of the scammer.

This is also the most commonly used scam over WhatsApp or SMS, this is easy for the scammer because they don't have to pretend to be a company.Because this is often personally targeted the scammer more often than not pretends to be a family member or friend.

It is also possible that they are not after your bank details but your social media accounts.They will then use these accounts to scam people.

With normal phishing the scammer will pretend to be a company, often a bank.You will then be asked if you can enter your bank account information because your account will soon expire.

Never give your payment details, a bank will never approach you for your details.If you receive a phishing message, it is advisable to report it to the Fraude Helpdesk.

If you have further questions about this, you can always see if there is a chat employee present.If no one is available you can always submit a ticket to our helpdesk.