Tech: Clicking WhatsApp links makes users victims of cybercrime

WhatsApp

Giving away a warning to all WhatsApp users across the globe, a report said that clicking on the links circulated on instant messaging app may expose and make them vulnerable to cyberattacks.

According to a report in The Sun newspaper, hackers are using simple tricks to fool people into visiting booby-trapped websites and then fleecing them.

Recently, Whatsapp rolled out video calling and scammers are taking the advantage of this new feature as bait to tempt people into their trap.

"If you receive an email asking you to "activate" the function by visiting a website, make sure you don't click it. Anyone who is tricked into visiting the danger pages could end up being targeted by digital criminals," the report pointed out.

Earlier this month, announcing that India now has nearly 160 million monthly active users, WhatsApp launched a video calling feature here which was rolled out globally. The feature is available on all platforms -- Android, iOS and Windows.

WhatsApp is available in more than 50 different languages around the world and in 10 Indian languages. Nearly 100 million calls are being made on the platform daily worldwide.

With the video calling feature, WhatsApp will now compete with Microsoft-owned Skype and Google's Duo.

Another interesting feature has been spotted in WhatsApp's beta version on Android, shortly after the vidoe calling feature was rolled out by the Facebook owned instant-messaging app. This feature enables the streaming of shared videos, while they are downloading.

It is currently available on the WhatsApp beta build on Android and will work only when a video is sent by another tester of WhatsApp beta. If sent by a regular WhatsApp user, the Download button will be seen instead of the Play button overlaid on the video. (Click here to read more)

Though India alone accounts to around 20 million WhatsApp users, yet the much celebrated instant messaging application has been a victim of several scams and hoaxes like other messaging platforms. But, where there is a will, there is a way! The trick to stay away from those hoaxes and scams is to ignore them. Here are some of those scams or hoaxes that WhatsApp users are flooded with in recent times (Click here to to read more)

In October, a new malware called WhatsApp Gold, entered cyberspace claiming to be a much better and 'exclusive' version of WhatsApp. Unsuspecting users were tricked into downloading and installing the app on their devices. The upgrade claims to offer new features such as the ability to have video chats, send 100 pictures at once, and delete messages after you have sent them. (Click here to read more)
- With inputs from Agencies