Naresh Gujral WhatsApp Scam \u2014 \u20b97.8 Crore<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nFormer Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral lost \u20b97.8 crore after fraudsters created a fake WhatsApp account using his profile photo and impersonated him. Believing the messages were genuine, company officials authorized four RTGS transfers over four days to accounts controlled by the criminals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The scam remained undetected until Gujral’s daughter noticed the transactions and contacted him directly, revealing that he had never issued the payment instructions. Authorities later froze a significant portion of the stolen funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Same rush. Same picture. Same result. It was only an hour that should have come on day one that made its way onto the phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \n
Threatcop \u2013 Book a Free Demo<\/title>\n <link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Outfit:wght@300;400;500;600;700&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n <style>\n .tc-wrap *, .tc-wrap *::before, .tc-wrap *::after { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; }\n\n .tc-wrap {\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif;\n width: 100%;\n display: flex;\n justify-content: center;\n padding: 20px 10px;\n }\n\n .tc-card {\n width: 100%;\n max-width: 820px;\n background: #fff;\n border-radius: 20px;\n overflow: hidden;\n box-shadow: 0 20px 60px rgba(24,57,148,0.13), 0 4px 16px rgba(24,57,148,0.07);\n display: flex;\n flex-direction: row;\n }\n\n \/* Left Panel *\/\n .tc-left {\n background: linear-gradient(160deg, #1e44b0 0%, #183994 40%, #0e2570 100%);\n width: 320px;\n flex-shrink: 0;\n padding: 40px 32px;\n display: flex;\n flex-direction: column;\n justify-content: center;\n position: relative;\n overflow: hidden;\n }\n\n .tc-left::before {\n content: '';\n position: absolute;\n inset: 0;\n background-image: radial-gradient(rgba(255,255,255,0.08) 1.5px, transparent 1.5px);\n background-size: 22px 22px;\n }\n\n .tc-left::after {\n content: '';\n position: absolute;\n bottom: -60px;\n right: -60px;\n width: 220px;\n height: 220px;\n background: radial-gradient(circle, rgba(99,179,255,0.22) 0%, transparent 65%);\n border-radius: 50%;\n pointer-events: none;\n }\n\n .tc-panel-inner {\n position: relative;\n z-index: 1;\n }\n\n .tc-badge {\n display: inline-flex !important;\n align-items: center !important;\n gap: 6px;\n background: rgba(255,255,255,0.1) !important;\n border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.18) !important;\n border-radius: 20px !important;\n padding: 4px 14px 4px 10px !important;\n font-size: 12.5px !important;\n font-weight: 600 !important;\n letter-spacing: .09em !important;\n text-transform: uppercase !important;\n color: rgba(255,255,255,0.85) !important;\n margin-bottom: 18px !important;\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important;\n line-height: 1.4 !important;\n }\n\n .tc-badge-dot {\n width: 6px;\n height: 6px;\n background: #5cd9a0;\n border-radius: 50%;\n box-shadow: 0 0 6px #5cd9a0;\n flex-shrink: 0;\n display: inline-block;\n }\n\n \/* Force white on ALL elements inside tc-left *\/\n .tc-left h1,\n .tc-left h2,\n .tc-left h3,\n .tc-left h4,\n .tc-left h5,\n .tc-left h6 {\n color: #ffffff !important;\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important;\n font-size: 28px !important;\n font-weight: 700 !important;\n line-height: 1.35 !important;\n letter-spacing: -0.3px !important;\n margin: 0 !important;\n padding: 0 !important;\n background: none !important;\n -webkit-text-fill-color: #ffffff !important;\n }\n\n .tc-left h2 em {\n font-style: normal !important;\n color: #7ec8ff !important;\n -webkit-text-fill-color: #7ec8ff !important;\n }\n\n .tc-left p,\n .tc-left .tc-sub {\n color: rgba(255,255,255,0.78) !important;\n -webkit-text-fill-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.78) !important;\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important;\n font-size: 14px !important;\n font-weight: 300 !important;\n line-height: 1.65 !important;\n margin-top: 12px !important;\n background: none !important;\n }\n\n \/* Right Panel *\/\n .tc-right {\n flex: 1;\n padding: 32px 32px 28px;\n display: flex;\n flex-direction: column;\n justify-content: center;\n }\n\n .tc-form-title {\n font-size: 13px !important;\n font-weight: 600 !important;\n letter-spacing: .12em;\n text-transform: uppercase;\n color: #8fa4cc !important;\n margin-bottom: 20px !important;\n display: flex !important;\n align-items: center !important;\n gap: 10px;\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important;\n }\n\n .tc-form-title::after {\n content: '';\n flex: 1;\n height: 1px;\n background: #eef1fa;\n }\n\n .tc-grid {\n display: grid;\n grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;\n gap: 14px;\n }\n\n .tc-field {\n display: flex;\n flex-direction: column;\n gap: 5px;\n }\n\n .tc-field.full { grid-column: 1 \/ -1; }\n\n .tc-field label {\n font-size: 13px !important;\n font-weight: 600 !important;\n color: #3a4f7a !important;\n letter-spacing: .04em;\n text-transform: uppercase;\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important;\n display: block !important;\n }\n\n .tc-input-wrap {\n position: relative;\n display: flex;\n align-items: center;\n }\n\n .tc-input-wrap .tc-fi {\n position: absolute;\n right: 12px;\n width: 15px;\n height: 15px;\n stroke: #c0ccdf;\n stroke-width: 1.8;\n pointer-events: none;\n fill: none;\n }\n\n .tc-wrap input[type=\"text\"],\n .tc-wrap input[type=\"email\"],\n .tc-wrap input[type=\"number\"] {\n width: 100% !important;\n border: 1.5px solid #e2e9f7 !important;\n border-radius: 10px !important;\n padding: 9px 34px 9px 13px !important;\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important;\n font-size: 15px !important;\n font-weight: 400 !important;\n color: #1e2d50 !important;\n background: #f8faff !important;\n outline: none !important;\n transition: border-color .2s, background .2s, box-shadow .2s;\n -moz-appearance: textfield;\n box-shadow: none !important;\n -webkit-text-fill-color: #1e2d50 !important;\n }\n\n .tc-wrap input[type=\"number\"]::-webkit-inner-spin-button,\n .tc-wrap input[type=\"number\"]::-webkit-outer-spin-button { -webkit-appearance: none; }\n\n .tc-wrap input::placeholder { color: #c0ccdf !important; -webkit-text-fill-color: #c0ccdf !important; opacity: 1; }\n\n .tc-wrap input:focus {\n border-color: #183994 !important;\n background: #fff !important;\n box-shadow: 0 0 0 3.5px rgba(24,57,148,0.1) !important;\n }\n\n .tc-phone-row { display: flex; gap: 8px; }\n .tc-flag-select { position: relative; flex-shrink: 0; }\n\n .tc-flag-select select {\n appearance: none !important;\n -webkit-appearance: none !important;\n border: 1.5px solid #e2e9f7 !important;\n border-radius: 10px !important;\n padding: 9px 26px 9px 12px !important;\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important;\n font-size: 14px !important;\n font-weight: 500 !important;\n color: #1e2d50 !important;\n background: #f8faff !important;\n outline: none !important;\n cursor: pointer;\n width: 100px !important;\n transition: border-color .2s, box-shadow .2s;\n }\n\n .tc-flag-select select:focus {\n border-color: #183994 !important;\n box-shadow: 0 0 0 3.5px rgba(24,57,148,0.1) !important;\n }\n\n .tc-flag-select::after {\n content: '';\n position: absolute;\n right: 10px;\n top: 50%;\n transform: translateY(-50%);\n width: 0; height: 0;\n border-left: 4px solid transparent;\n border-right: 4px solid transparent;\n border-top: 5px solid #a0b0cc;\n pointer-events: none;\n }\n\n .tc-phone-row .tc-input-wrap { flex: 1; }\n\n .tc-btn-submit {\n width: 100% !important;\n margin-top: 18px !important;\n padding: 11px !important;\n background: #183994 !important;\n border: none !important;\n border-radius: 10px !important;\n color: #fff !important;\n -webkit-text-fill-color: #fff !important;\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important;\n font-size: 15px !important;\n font-weight: 600 !important;\n letter-spacing: .05em;\n cursor: pointer;\n display: flex !important;\n align-items: center !important;\n justify-content: center !important;\n gap: 9px;\n transition: background .2s, transform .15s, box-shadow .2s;\n box-shadow: 0 6px 24px rgba(24,57,148,0.28) !important;\n text-decoration: none !important;\n }\n\n .tc-btn-submit:hover {\n background: #1d46b5 !important;\n transform: translateY(-1px);\n box-shadow: 0 10px 32px rgba(24,57,148,0.35) !important;\n color: #fff !important;\n }\n\n .tc-btn-submit:active { transform: translateY(0); }\n\n .tc-btn-submit svg {\n width: 16px; height: 16px;\n stroke: #fff;\n stroke-width: 2.2;\n fill: none;\n flex-shrink: 0;\n }\n\n .tc-trust {\n margin-top: 10px !important;\n display: flex !important;\n align-items: center !important;\n justify-content: center !important;\n gap: 5px;\n font-size: 13px !important;\n color: #a0b0cc !important;\n font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important;\n }\n\n .tc-trust svg {\n width: 12px; height: 12px;\n stroke: #a0b0cc;\n stroke-width: 2;\n fill: none;\n flex-shrink: 0;\n }\n\n @media (max-width: 680px) {\n .tc-card { flex-direction: column !important; }\n .tc-left { width: 100% !important; padding: 28px 24px 24px !important; }\n .tc-right { padding: 24px 20px !important; }\n .tc-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr !important; }\n .tc-field.full { grid-column: 1 !important; }\n }\n <\/style>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"tc-wrap\">\n <div class=\"tc-card\">\n\n <!-- Left Panel -->\n <div class=\"tc-left\">\n <div class=\"tc-panel-inner\">\n <div class=\"tc-badge\">\n <span class=\"tc-badge-dot\"><\/span>\n People Security Management\n <\/div>\n <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Book_a_Free_Demo_Call_with_Our_Expert\"><\/span>Book a Free<br><em>Demo Call<\/em><br>with Our Expert<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n <p class=\"tc-sub\">Discover how Threatcop protects your workforce from modern cyber threats.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <!-- Right Panel -->\n <div class=\"tc-right\">\n <div class=\"tc-form-title\">Your Details<\/div>\n\n <form action=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/thankyou-blog\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\">\n <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"BlogForm\" value=\"BlogForm\">\n\n <div class=\"tc-grid\">\n\n <div class=\"tc-field\">\n <label>Full Name<\/label>\n <div class=\"tc-input-wrap\">\n <input type=\"text\" name=\"FullName\" placeholder=\"Jane Smith\" required=\"\">\n <svg class=\"tc-fi\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\">\n <circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"8\" r=\"4\"><\/circle><path d=\"M4 20c0-4 3.58-7 8-7s8 3 8 7\"><\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"tc-field\">\n <label>Company Name<\/label>\n <div class=\"tc-input-wrap\">\n <input type=\"text\" name=\"CompanyName\" placeholder=\"Acme Corp\" required=\"\">\n <svg class=\"tc-fi\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\">\n <rect x=\"3\" y=\"3\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect>\n <path d=\"M9 3v18M3 9h6M3 15h6\"><\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"tc-field full\">\n <label>Corporate Email<\/label>\n <div class=\"tc-input-wrap\">\n <input type=\"email\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"jane@yourcompany.com\" required=\"\">\n <svg class=\"tc-fi\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\">\n <rect x=\"2\" y=\"4\" width=\"20\" height=\"16\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect>\n <polyline points=\"2,4 12,13 22,4\"><\/polyline>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <div class=\"tc-field full\">\n <label>Phone Number<\/label>\n <div class=\"tc-input-wrap\">\n <input type=\"number\" name=\"Phone\" placeholder=\"98765 43210\" required=\"\">\n <svg class=\"tc-fi\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\">\n <path d=\"M22 16.92v3a2 2 0 01-2.18 2A19.79 19.79 0 013.09 4.18 2 2 0 015.07 2h3a2 2 0 012 1.72c.13.96.36 1.9.71 2.81a2 2 0 01-.45 2.11L9.09 9.91a16 16 0 006 6l1.27-1.27a2 2 0 012.11-.45c.91.35 1.85.58 2.81.71A2 2 0 0122 16.92z\"><\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <button type=\"submit\" class=\"tc-btn-submit\">\n <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\">\n <path d=\"M22 2L11 13M22 2L15 22l-4-9-9-4 20-7z\"><\/path>\n <\/svg>\n Book My Free Demo\n <\/button>\n\n <div class=\"tc-trust\">\n <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\">\n <rect x=\"3\" y=\"11\" width=\"18\" height=\"11\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect>\n <path d=\"M7 11V7a5 5 0 0110 0v4\"><\/path>\n <\/svg>\n Your data is safe & never shared with third parties\n <\/div>\n\n <\/form>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WhatsApp_Phishing_is_a_new_advanced_form_of_SMS_scam\"><\/span><strong>WhatsApp Phishing is a new, advanced form of SMS scam<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scammers don’t need to be very technical to pull off WhatsApp scams. It only has to appear believable to be from someone it is familiar with. The whole point of<a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/whatsapp-phishing\"> WhatsApp phishing<\/a> is to exploit WhatsApp’s personal, informal atmosphere. When someone sends a cold email from an unknown sender, the recipient is much more likely to be suspicious than if the message came from a recognized WhatsApp number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scammers also use foreign phone numbers to bypass local caller screening. The message arrives, is perceived as urgent, and, without a second thought, a link is clicked or an OTP is forwarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Common formats:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A fake delivery failure link where the login details are taken from you<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A lottery prize requires a “processing fee” to release the winnings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A warning that your bank account has been suspended<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A QR code or link offering cashback or a reward<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One study found that 21% of WhatsApp users had received a QR code or an offer to pay money on the platform that was actually fraudulent. Most of them will redirect to a cloned login page. Before a real attacker attempts this, Threatcop’s WhatsApp Phishing Awareness and Simulation will test employees in this very same scenario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Impersonation_Fraud_on_WhatsApp_Businesses_are_the_Main_Target\"><\/span><strong>Impersonation Fraud on WhatsApp: Businesses are the Main Target<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The real money loss is from<a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/what-is-impersonation-attack\/\"> impersonation fraud on WhatsApp<\/a>. A scammer pretends to be a director or CFO, contacts someone in finance, and asks for an immediate fund transfer. No call. No email thread. Just a WhatsApp message and a wire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voice cloning has also become part of this. In one reported case, a cloned voice resembling Sunil Bharti Mittal was used. The Inox and Gujral cases followed the same approach on a larger scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No software can detect this type of attack, since it relies entirely on human trust. That’s where Threatcop’s Security Awareness Training comes into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fake_Job_Offers_A_Growing_Scam_on_WhatsApp\"><\/span><strong>Fake Job Offers: A Growing Scam on WhatsApp<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Job seekers are also hit hard\u2014about 42% of those asked paid money for a nonexistent job. The scam layers up at each stage, making each more believable than the last. Several of these are associated with fraud compounds in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, with special attention on Indians seeking work abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Big_Is_the_Problem_in_India\"><\/span><strong>How Big Is the Problem in India<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2025, India suffered losses of \u20b922,495 crore in cybercrime cases, with 2.81 million complaints reported, an increase of 24% from 2024. Today, WhatsApp and Telegram are the main channels for financial fraud, replacing email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As many as 1.2 million SIM cards were blocked, 1.33 million mule accounts frozen, and \u20b95,489 crore was seized in 2025. The epic Operation CyHawk even arrested the suspects in the middle of their withdrawal of \u20b98 lakh from Mumbai. Enforcement only happens after the fact, though. Clicking, receiving the OTP, and transferring \u2014 all of these take seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Avoid_Getting_Scammed_on_WhatsApp\"><\/span><strong>How to Avoid Getting Scammed on WhatsApp<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If a message arrives claiming to be from your boss or bank, call them on a number you already have, not the one in the message.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Urgency is a tactic. “Don’t call me; I’m in a meeting” is designed to stop you from verifying.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No bank or company will ever ask for an OTP over WhatsApp<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Profile photos mean nothing\u2014anyone can copy one in seconds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any job or refund that asks for an upfront fee is a scam<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Report at<a href=\"http:\/\/cybercrime.gov.in\"> cybercrime.gov.in<\/a> or call 1930<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enable Two-Step Verification to prevent your number from being hijacked<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AI_is_Now_Being_Used_to_Attack_on_WhatsApp\"><\/span><strong>AI is Now Being Used to Attack on WhatsApp<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most new WhatsApp scams are still launched via phishing emails. The worker opens it, and next, an artificial intelligence-based agent pops up on a WhatsApp chat. Unlike the old cheap chatbots, this one sounds much like a genuine human and is listening to you, trying to obtain your employee ID or other sensitive data bit by bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some individuals will see a dodgy email but may not realize the same thing is happening in a chat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Threatcop\u2018s <a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/ai-whatsapp-phishing-simulation\">AI WhatsApp phishing simulation<\/a> does the very same with existing employees and requirements to explore the vulnerabilities of organizations before a real attacker does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Training_is_the_Real_Fix\"><\/span><strong>Training is the Real Fix<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The filters failed in both the Inox and Gujral instances. Both were trusted professionals who merely failed to verify messages with a second source before acting on them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a skill that can be learned. It is built regularly via phishing, smishing, and impersonation simulations as part of <a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/threatcop-security-awareness-training\">Threatcop\u2019s Security Awareness Training<\/a>. When paired with Threatcop\u2019s Phishing Incident Response, employees are prepared to act before funds are transferred out of the account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<style>\n .threatcop-banner {\n background-color: #02022e;\n border: 2px solid #00bf63;\n border-radius: 12px;\n padding: 12px 24px;\n display: flex;\n justify-content: space-between;\n align-items: center;\n max-width: 1100px;\n margin: 20px auto;\n color: #ffffff;\n font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\n }\n\n .threatcop-banner-text {\n font-size: 18px;\n font-weight: 500;\n }\n\n .threatcop-banner-button {\n background-color: #00bf63;\n color: #ffffff;\n padding: 8px 20px;\n border-radius: 8px;\n text-decoration: none;\n font-weight: 500;\n white-space: nowrap;\n transition: 0.2s ease;\n font-size: 15px;\n }\n\n .threatcop-banner-button:hover {\n opacity: 0.9;\n }\n\n @media (max-width: 768px) {\n .threatcop-banner {\n flex-direction: column;\n text-align: center;\n gap: 10px;\n }\n }\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"threatcop-banner\">\n <div class=\"threatcop-banner-text\">\n Discuss Your Organization\u2019s Human Risk Challenges\n <\/div>\n <a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/contact-us?utm_source=thrm_summerized_blog\" class=\"threatcop-banner-button\">\n Book a Meeting\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dont_Wait_for_It_to_Happen_to_Your_Team\"><\/span><strong>Don’t Wait for It to Happen to Your Team<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That trust is the key to WhatsApp scams, and in the moment, it is difficult to question it. It wasn’t that the Mumbai and Delhi organizations wanted more software; they wanted more staff trained to lift the phone before approving a transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span><strong>FAQs<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WhatsApp scams can happen to anyone from your company\u2019s junior employee to the CEO. These are way more sophisticated than the spam texts. Today’s message sounds like it’s from a superior, a bank or your boss who needs something done in secret and fast. How WhatsApp Impersonation Scams Led to Multi-Crore Losses The Mumbai Impersonation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":14749,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[284],"tags":[322],"class_list":["post-12716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-digest","tag-whatsapp-scams"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>WhatsApp Scams: How to Identify, Avoid & Prevent Fraud in 2026<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how WhatsApp scams work, including phishing, impersonation fraud, and fake job scams, and how to protect your business.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"WhatsApp Scams: How to Identify, Avoid & Prevent Fraud in 2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how WhatsApp scams work, including phishing, impersonation fraud, and fake job scams, and how to protect your business.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Threatcop\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Threatcop\/100083109892339\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-25T11:41:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-25T11:41:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Milind Udbhav\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@threatcop\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@threatcop\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Milind Udbhav\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Milind Udbhav\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0916e68ec2b646f2a92d2cfd4d3f6812\"},\"headline\":\"WhatsApp Scams: Can You Get Scammed on WhatsApp & How to Avoid It\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-25T11:41:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-25T11:41:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1119,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Whatsapp Scams\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News and Digest\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/\",\"name\":\"WhatsApp Scams: How to Identify, Avoid & Prevent Fraud in 2026\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-25T11:41:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-25T11:41:59+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn how WhatsApp scams work, including phishing, impersonation fraud, and fake job scams, and how to protect your business.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1080,\"caption\":\"Whatsapp Scams\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/whatsapp-scams\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"WhatsApp Scams: Can You Get Scammed on WhatsApp & How to Avoid It\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Threatcop\",\"description\":\"Cybersecurity Blogs, News, Updates, and Articles\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Threatcop\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/threatcop-logo-black-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/threatcop-logo-black-1.png\",\"width\":432,\"height\":102,\"caption\":\"Threatcop\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/people\\\/Threatcop\\\/100083109892339\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/threatcop\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/threatcop\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/threatcop_official\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0916e68ec2b646f2a92d2cfd4d3f6812\",\"name\":\"Milind Udbhav\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/avatar_user_14_1731396320.jpg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/avatar_user_14_1731396320.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/avatar_user_14_1731396320.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Milind Udbhav\"},\"description\":\"Technical Content Writer at Threatcop Milind Udbhav is a cybersecurity researcher and technology enthusiast. As a Technical Content Writer at Threatcop, he uses his research experience to create informative content which helps audience to understand core concepts easily.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/threatcop.com\\\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"WhatsApp Scams: How to Identify, Avoid & Prevent Fraud in 2026","description":"Learn how WhatsApp scams work, including phishing, impersonation fraud, and fake job scams, and how to protect your business.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"WhatsApp Scams: How to Identify, Avoid & Prevent Fraud in 2026","og_description":"Learn how WhatsApp scams work, including phishing, impersonation fraud, and fake job scams, and how to protect your business.","og_url":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/","og_site_name":"Threatcop","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Threatcop\/100083109892339\/","article_published_time":"2026-06-25T11:41:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-25T11:41:59+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Milind Udbhav","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@threatcop","twitter_site":"@threatcop","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Milind Udbhav","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/"},"author":{"name":"Milind Udbhav","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0916e68ec2b646f2a92d2cfd4d3f6812"},"headline":"WhatsApp Scams: Can You Get Scammed on WhatsApp & How to Avoid It","datePublished":"2026-06-25T11:41:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-25T11:41:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/"},"wordCount":1119,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg","keywords":["Whatsapp Scams"],"articleSection":["News and Digest"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/","url":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/","name":"WhatsApp Scams: How to Identify, Avoid & Prevent Fraud in 2026","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg","datePublished":"2026-06-25T11:41:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-25T11:41:59+00:00","description":"Learn how WhatsApp scams work, including phishing, impersonation fraud, and fake job scams, and how to protect your business.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/WhatsApp-Scams-Can-You-Get-Scammed-on-WhatsApp-How-to-Avoid-It.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"caption":"Whatsapp Scams"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/whatsapp-scams\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"WhatsApp Scams: Can You Get Scammed on WhatsApp & How to Avoid It"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/","name":"Threatcop","description":"Cybersecurity Blogs, News, Updates, and Articles","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Threatcop","url":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/threatcop-logo-black-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/threatcop-logo-black-1.png","width":432,"height":102,"caption":"Threatcop"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Threatcop\/100083109892339\/","https:\/\/x.com\/threatcop","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/threatcop\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/threatcop_official\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0916e68ec2b646f2a92d2cfd4d3f6812","name":"Milind Udbhav","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/avatar_user_14_1731396320.jpg","url":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/avatar_user_14_1731396320.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/avatar_user_14_1731396320.jpg","caption":"Milind Udbhav"},"description":"Technical Content Writer at Threatcop Milind Udbhav is a cybersecurity researcher and technology enthusiast. As a Technical Content Writer at Threatcop, he uses his research experience to create informative content which helps audience to understand core concepts easily.","sameAs":["https:\/\/threatcop.com\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12716"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12716\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14750,"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12716\/revisions\/14750"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}