WhatsApp is teaming up with National Trading Standards to raise awareness of digital scams, and the ways people can stay safe and secure, also launching two new creator partnerships. This is an extension of a campaign first launched in 2021.
New data from Citizens Advice show that in 2024 alone it has received at least one report of a phone scam every day, whilst a report from National Trading Standards found that one in five adults (20%) believe they are likely to become a victim of a scam in the next five years, highlighting the ongoing need for increased public awareness to fight back against the scammers.
While there has been a drop in the number of phone scam reports to Citizens Advice in the last year, National Trading Standards has warned this could be due to fewer people reporting scams to authorities.
WhatsApp and National Trading Standards are urging people to remain vigilant and to report suspected scams, as criminals constantly evolve their tactics to trick people into parting with money or personal information, so staying informed and alert remains crucial.
WhatsApp also provides a number of layers of protection in-app to keep people safe and secure. To stay one step ahead of the criminals users are urged to:
- Turn on two-step verification
- NEVER share their 6 digit code
- Use Privacy Checkup to ensure they are up to date on their security settings
Louise Baxter, Head of the National Trading Standards Scams Team and Friends Against Scams, said: “Criminals are masters of manipulation, constantly adapting their tactics to exploit our goodwill and desire to help friends and family members in need. These criminals will impersonate loved ones or contact you from an unknown number claiming to be a friend or family member who has lost their phone and been ‘locked out’ of their account. Often, they use emotional manipulation to push you into a hot state, so you are pushed into a position where the criminals try to get you to part ways with your money, making false accusations and using high-pressure tactics to make you feel anxious, vulnerable and panicked. But here’s the truth: you hold the power to stop these criminals in their tracks. Stay vigilant, always check the requests with friends and family, and never feel pressured to share your details or send money quickly.”
Helen Charles, Policy Director at WhatsApp said: “We want to make WhatsApp the safest and most secure place for online communication, which is why we protect your personal conversations with end-to-end encryption. However, there are additional steps we can all take to protect our accounts from criminals. We urge all WhatsApp users to stay alert to potential scams, turn on two-step verification and use our in-app Privacy Checkup tool.”
WhatsApp has also partnered with “Scambassadors” David Larbi and Holly Morris to share the campaign across social media.
National Trading Standards is encouraging anyone who is worried about being targeted to report it to Action Fraud at http://www.actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040. For advice about scams you can call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133, or use their online tool at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/scams/reporting-a-scam/.
For more information on how to stay safe on WhatsApp, visit our Help Center.