KARACHI – A new cyber fraud method has emerged in which scammers are allegedly hacking WhatsApp accounts by posing as representatives of courier companies and then using the compromised accounts to demand money from victims’ relatives and friends.
The fraudsters contact citizens and claim that a parcel has arrived for them. They tell the recipient that a verification code will be sent to their mobile phone to complete the delivery or confirm the address.
The scammers then ask the citizen to share the code received on WhatsApp.
As soon as the victim provides the verification code, the fraudsters register the WhatsApp account on another device using the victim’s phone number and take control of the account.
After gaining access, the scammers use the victim’s WhatsApp contacts to send messages to family members, friends, colleagues and acquaintances.
They pose as the account holder and ask contacts for urgent financial assistance, attempting to convince them to transfer money.
The latest scam highlights the growing use of social engineering techniques by cybercriminals to gain access to personal accounts and exploit victims’ trusted contacts.
The citizens have been advised to remain vigilant and never share WhatsApp verification codes with anyone.
People receiving calls about parcel deliveries should independently verify the caller’s identity through the official contact details of the relevant courier company.
