Egidio — Threat Lab · WhatsApp & Messaging Report · v1.0 · July 2026 · License CC BY 4.0 · egidio.app/en/whatsapp-scam/
The most frequent WhatsApp scams
The "fake relative"
"Mom, I broke my phone, here's my new number…" A stranger impersonates a child or friend, then asks for money urgently.
The fake bank advisor
A "security" message pressures you to approve a payment or share a code. A bank never asks for this over WhatsApp.
The romance scam ("pig butchering")
A relationship builds over weeks, then comes "the opportunity to invest together." The account shows gains… until withdrawal becomes impossible.
The fake job / "paid tasks"
A simple, well-paid job is offered. You must first "top up" to unlock earnings. The money never comes back.
The "miracle" investment or crypto scheme
Guaranteed returns, an unknown platform, urgency to deposit. Often relayed via Telegram and fake "expert" groups.
The fake package and verification code
A booby-trapped "tracking" link, or a request for a 6-digit code to steal your WhatsApp account.
How to recognize a messaging scam
Any single one of these signals should already raise a flag — several together, it's a scam:
- Urgency or secrecy: "hurry," "don't tell anyone."
- An unknown or foreign number, or a relative on a "new number."
- A request for money, a verification code, or a click on a link.
- Too good to be true: easy money, guaranteed returns, a free gift.
- A channel switch: you're pushed toward WhatsApp, Telegram, or an external link.
What to do if you're targeted
- Don't click any link, and don't send money or a code.
- Verify through another channel: call the person's real number directly.
- Block and report the contact.
- Forward a fraudulent text to 7726 (SPAM), and report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov in the US.
The takeaway
Most anti-spam apps stop at phone calls — scammers, meanwhile, have moved on. Recognizing the pattern matters more than recognizing the number: these scams switch channels constantly.
How to cite this publication
Egidio, Threat Lab, "WhatsApp & Messaging Report," v1.0, 2026, egidio.app/en/publications/whatsapp-messaging-report/
Rigor note. This report derives from the page WhatsApp scams. No new figures are introduced here — this report organizes already-documented schemes, not new statistics. License CC BY 4.0.
Learn more
Egidio — The Threat Laboratory, "WhatsApp & Messaging Report — Next-Generation Scams", egidio.app/en/publications/whatsapp-messaging-report/. Licensed CC BY 4.0.
Free to reuse, including commercially, with attribution. Reuse terms.