Fake WhatsApp account scam: the 3 warning signs and the right reflex

A WhatsApp message arrives. The profile picture is your boss's, a loyal customer's or a family member's. The name is right. Just one detail: the number is new. Soon the request follows: "I have a problem, send me some money by Mobile Money, I'll pay you back tonight."

This is the fake account scam, one of the simplest and most widespread. It needs no technical skill: the scammer grabs a profile picture and a name, then relies on trust and urgency.

How the scam works

1. The scammer copies the profile picture and the name of someone you know (often publicly visible on WhatsApp or social media).
2. They create a WhatsApp account with another number and write to you pretending to be that person ("I changed my number", "My phone is broken"…).
3. After a few messages to build trust, they ask for an urgent money transfer, often by Mobile Money, sometimes airtime or a code received by SMS.

The 3 warning signs

• A new number: the person writes from a number you have never saved.
• Urgency: "right now", "it's serious", "I can't talk". Urgency is there to stop you from thinking and checking.
• An immediate request for money: Mobile Money, a transfer, airtime or a validation code, to be sent without delay.

One sign alone proves nothing. All three together should stop you in your tracks.

The right reflex: call first

Before sending a single franc, call the person on their usual number, the one you have always used. Not the new number, and not a WhatsApp call offered by the sender. If you cannot reach them, contact someone close to them or at their company.

A real relative will always understand that you check. A scammer will insist, get angry or disappear.

Report and block the fake account

Once the scam is confirmed:

• open the chat, tap the contact's name, then choose Report and Block;
• warn the person whose identity is being used: other contacts have probably received the same message;
• if you have already sent money, contact your Mobile Money operator's customer service right away with the transaction reference, then file a complaint.

Businesses: protect your teams too

SMEs are prime targets: an employee who thinks an order comes from the boss often obeys quickly. A few simple rules reduce the risk:

• set a written rule: no money request received on WhatsApp is carried out without a confirmation call to the known number;
• in WhatsApp privacy settings, limit who can see your profile picture (for example to "My contacts");
• turn on two-step verification (Settings › Account) so nobody can take over your own account;
• talk about it in team meetings: an informed colleague is worth more than a lost transfer.

In short

New number + urgency + money request = stop everything and call the person on their usual number. Then report and block.

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