WhatsApp fraud is perpetrated through contact you trust

ZNyaya Reporter

The message was in an Old Boys Association group where everyone knows everyone else: “Tendai” saying that he had hard cash and was looking for someone to transfer local currency into a given bank account.  

Turrned out that Tendai’s phone had been stolen and this was a scam. Unfortunately, two of Tendai’s friends had fallen for it and transferred money to the thieves. Tracking the money through the bank system proved tricky as the trail led to dummy corporation and a POS transaction where the culprit had made sure to avoid having their face captured on security cameras.

Across Zimbabwe the scam has a familiar script. Criminals gain access to a WhatsApp account — through mobile handset theft, SIM swap, social engineering, malware or by convincing a carrier/agent to re-issue a number — then message the contact list asking for cash transfers to a bank account or an EcoCash wallet.

Often the receiving accounts are created with stolen, lost or forged IDs; in other cases agents or complicit insiders speed the process along. The result: small  and large sums come in quickly from multiple trusted contacts before the breach is noticed.

It’s difficult to pin down a single nationwide figure  as statistics are hard to come by. But police have warned that cybercrime is on the rise. But zonline.africa says local reporting and fraud alerts show the problem is widespread and lucrative for organised groups that exploit mobile money’s ubiquity.

Red flags to watch for

• Requests for money that use pressure language (“It’s an emergency!”).
• Blue ticked responses- The scammers don’t want to expose themselves by engaging in too many conversations.
• Message to pay into another account and no.
• Messages that ask for OTPs or verification codes — legitimate contacts will not ask for those.
• Requests to move funds via a new Ecocash number or an unfamiliar bank account, even if the message seems to come from someone you know.

If your WhatsApp is hijacked — immediate checklist

1. Try to log back in immediately and enable two-step verification.
2. Update WhatsApp About/Status: “My account was hacked — do not send money.” Kaspersky and WhatsApp advise using status or profile to warn contacts fast.
3. Contact Ecocash and your bank right away (use official numbers/web forms) to freeze accounts or flag suspicious transfers — EcoCash lists contact lines and insists customers report stolen/ lost SIMs immediately.
4. File a police report with the cybercrime unit and keep reference numbers — your bank/EcoCash will often ask for this.

What institutions must do 
Mobile money providers and banks need better agent vetting, stronger identity checks and rapid-response fraud reversal processes. Providers publicly urge customers to report theft immediately and to protect SIMs and verification codes; regulators and law enforcement are increasingly flagging these scams as a national cyber-risk.

Practical prevention

• Never share OTPs, verification codes or your EcoCash/PIN with anyone.
• Use two-step verification on WhatsApp and a strong voicemail password on your cellular line.
• Treat money requests via chat with suspicion — call the person on a separate number before sending funds.
• Keep copies of your ID secure; report lost IDs immediately to the national registry and your bank.