A FAKE WhatsApp backup message is said to be delivering malware to unsuspecting users of the app.
Spanish authorities have sent a warning out about the phishing campaign, which involves a cyber criminal impersonating WhatsApp and encouraging a victim to download a bug.
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The message is written in Spanish and tells recipients to download copies of their WhatsApp history from a malicious link that will result in infection.
The message is said to be sent via a convincing email that looks like it could be from WhatsApp.
According to The Daily Swig, the email subject line is often ‘Copia de seguridad de mensajes de WhatsApp *913071605 Nº (xxxxx)’.
This roughly translate to ‘Backup of WhatsApp messages * 913071605 Nº (xxxxx)’.
The email is said to be written in grammatically correct Spanish.
The Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute has had to issue a warning about the malware campaign because it’s not easy to spot it’s a scam.
The malware is hidden in a link or an attachment that could infect a phone in seconds if clicked.
Similar English language scams have been warned about in the past.
You should never click a suspicious link in an email or give your personal details away unless you’re 100% sure it’s to an official source.
If you do receive an email like this, delete it immediately.
If you accidentally click on a malicious link, you should scan your device with updated antivirus software to spot and tackle any issues.
It’s always advisable to have updated antivirus software on your phone and make sure you back it up in case you have to wipe your device.
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