A message from a number you don't have in your contacts. They claim to be a family member or friend who 'lost their phone' or 'has a new number'. They quickly move to asking for money, a code, or a payment 'on their behalf'. They offer a job paying unusually well for simple tasks. They add you to a group full of 'students' showing huge profits. They send a link to verify, claim a prize, or pay a small fee.

WhatsApp scam — same script, different number.

Most WhatsApp scams reuse a small set of patterns: impersonating someone you know, offering easy money, promising prizes, or pretending to be a bank. Once you see the patterns, you can spot them in seconds.

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This is a second opinion, not a verdict. We never say a message is safe. If anything matches what you saw, slow down and verify before sending money or sharing codes.

Unknown · +44 7*** *** ***

WhatsApp · Today · 19:46

Hi mum, this is my new number — I dropped my phone in the bath.

Can you do me a favour? I need to pay something urgent and my banking app isn't working yet.

Can you send €620 to this account? I'll pay you back tomorrow.

What this scam is, in plain words

WhatsApp scams almost always start the same way: a message from a number you don't recognise, with a familiar-sounding hook. 'Hi mum, new number.' 'Hi, I saw your profile, are you free for some easy work?' 'Congratulations, you've won.' 'I'm from our bank.'

If you don't recognise the number, treat anything they say as a stranger telling you a story. Verify through a channel you already trust before you act.

Warning signs

If two or more of these show up at once, slow down.

A message from a number you don't have in your contacts.
They claim to be a family member or friend who 'lost their phone' or 'has a new number'.
They quickly move to asking for money, a code, or a payment 'on their behalf'.
They offer a job paying unusually well for simple tasks.
They add you to a group full of 'students' showing huge profits.
They send a link to verify, claim a prize, or pay a small fee.

What to do now

Calm steps you can take in the next two minutes.

Don't

Don't send money based only on a WhatsApp message.
Don't share OTP codes, passwords, or banking details.
Don't click links from unknown contacts — even short ones.

If it says it's a family member, call their old number first to confirm. Or video-call from a known account.
Report and block the number inside WhatsApp (tap their name → Report).
If you suspect your own WhatsApp was hijacked, log out of all devices in WhatsApp settings and re-verify your number.

One last reminder. We never say something is safe. We surface signs to help you pause and verify. If anything looks off, talk to one person you trust before sending money or sharing codes.

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One tap — send the summary to a friend or family member who might be targeted next.

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Related guides

Same playbook, different cover story.

View all scam guides →

OTP / security code

Never share the code. Not with your bank, not with anyone.

The 6-digit code that just arrived on your phone is a key. Anyone who asks you for it — bank, courier, official, 'support agent' — is trying to open a door you'd never voluntarily open.

Read the guide

Fake job / task scam

Fake job task scam — when easy work asks for your money.

These start as friendly part-time offers on WhatsApp or Telegram and end with you being asked to deposit your own money — often in crypto — to unlock the salary you 'already earned'.

Read the guide

Start here

Is this a scam? Pause before you pay or share.

If you feel rushed, isolated, or asked to pay before you receive anything — pause. That feeling is usually right. Take two minutes to check it properly.

Read the guide

Not sure yet? Check the message before you reply.

Paste what you received. We'll point out the signs and tell you what to verify — before you reply, click, or send anything.

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