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Currently, WhatsApp is the leader of the apps instant messaging with more than two billion registered users.
In times of collecting the Panini album stamps, a new scam is causing a little chaos among WhatsApp users, the most used social network in terms of instant messaging service.
It is true, on the one hand, that social networks have become a multipurpose tool; We are talking about spaces for interaction and socialization, but also information spaces, entertainment sites and, above all, an essential work tool in these times of digitization, the rise of social networks, etc.
From the outset, we must not forget that there are almost five billion Internet users around the world (4.9 billion, according to some reports)which, incidentally, are attached to some social network, be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok or any other.
Now, of those 4.9 billion users, WhatsApp, a platform owned by Meta, has just over two billion in its pocket, which makes it the third most popular social network in the DataReportal rankingonly below Facebook and YouTube.
On the other hand, Mark Zuckerberg’s social network has remained one of the most downloaded mobile applications of the year 2022. This is how he makes it known a recent ranking which places it as the fourth most downloaded application in smartphonesboth Android and iOSan achievement that, despite the growth that Telegram has reported, makes clear the great convening power that it still possesses.
New scam on WhatsApp alerts fans of the Panini album
Without a doubt, we live in an era almost totally dominated by social networks, which is why it is not surprising that these platforms also serve as the ideal hook for cyber scammers.
A report from the BBC points out that, since the beginning of the pandemic, IT security experts around the world have recorded a dramatic increase in all kinds of cyberattacks. Among the most common scams is the phishing: hackers looking for an individual to download malware or give out personal information via email or phone, exploiting their fear, anxiety, curiosity, and confidence.
This, precisely, is happening in WhatsApp, where, at a time when the rage over the Qatar World Cup is beginning to boil overis being alerted to a new scam in which the Panini stamp album is involved.
According to what has been disclosed by Kaspersky, a cybersecurity company, Cybercriminals are sending a message to WhatsApp users that says “Access and win the album with more than 400 stamps” and includes a link for the user to enter the official website of the publisher; however, it warns that it is treated in a way that is intended for Internet users to provide personal data, such as bank accounts, among others.
“It is important for fans to be vigilant and cautious with their personal and financial information as as we get closer to the event (Qatar 2022), cybercriminals will set more traps using phishing and social engineering”mentioned Fabio Assolini, director of Kaspersky’s Research and Analysis Team for Latin America.
Scams on social networks are the order of the day and under any modality, as happened a few months ago when he was alerted to a new fraud on Instagram, which consisted in the user having to pay at least 46 pesos to win an iPhone 13.
It should be noted that, to pay the 46 pesos, Internet users had to enter their bank details and, as if that were not enough, tag the publication on Instagram. It is estimated that around a thousand users fell for this scam.
In the end, no one is exempt from this type of dynamic and it is reason enough for an urgent call to be made to users not to provide personal information.