Police Warn Of WhatsApp Scam
Police want to warn people to be wary of a WhatsApp
scam circulating at the
moment.
In this case
scammers use WhatsApp to impersonate family members or
friends
in difficulty and in particular need of
money. This type of scam has evolved
from
fraudsters impersonating a bank, Police or a government
agency.
Victims of this scam have received a message
from an unknown number, claiming
to be a loved one
who has just lost their phone and got a
replacement.
The scammer then attempts to obtain the victim’s credit card information.
These kinds of
scams run constantly and while most people will not respond
or
buy into them, some people are more
vulnerable.
We urge people to have conversations with
vulnerable or elderly family
members, to help
ensure they are aware of the tactics often used by
scammers
and don't become victims.
Please
remember that a bank, Police, or a government agency will
never
contact you out of the blue and ask for your
password, credit card or
bank
details.
Police’s message on scams
like this is simple – do not engage with
anyone
on the phone, and if you think you are being
scammed report the incident
immediately.
If
you are in doubt as to a person's legitimacy ask if you can
call them
back, or if they are claiming to be a
family member or friend ask them a
personal
question – for example their date of birth, maiden name,
pet name
or name of a sibling.
Anyone who
believes they are a victim of a scam, in person, over the
phone or
online, should immediately report it to
their bank, and then to their
local
Police.