WhatsApp scam: attackers pretend to be a family member in distress to ask for money
Cybersecurity researchers warn of a scam circulating in WhatsApp where cybercriminals contact different people, posing as relatives in distress. In particular, it has been seen that scammers pose as the children or nephews of the victims to request urgent money.
This modus operandi is reminiscent of virtual kidnappings in which, the criminal makes a call in the middle of the night to a person and tells him that he has kidnapped a relative. He then puts the alleged family member (who is another criminal) on the cell phone, screaming and crying to make him believe that it is a real kidnapping. Given the confusion generated, the person falls into the trap and ends up delivering the loot where indicated.