Sri Lanka’s Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) reported an increase in unauthorized access to WhatsApp accounts used for financial scams across various regions.
CERT’s Senior Information Security Engineer Charuka Damunupola said that cybercriminals often infiltrate WhatsApp groups and gain access to individual accounts by obtaining verification codes shared by users.
Once they control an account, they send messages posing as the account owner, requesting urgent financial assistance, Damunupola explained.
Scammers also exploit events such as religious or educational gatherings and claim users have won prizes, sending messages to invite victims to Zoom meetings.
Damunupola explained further that the codes requested by these scammers are not for Zoom meetings but for gaining control of WhatsApp accounts.
CERT advises users to never share verification codes with third parties. If an account is compromised, users should notify their contacts immediately and refrain from sending money without verifying any urgent requests from friends or family.
