WhatsApp scams are not uncommon. Some chain letters are obviously dubious, while the criminal intent of other messages is not so obvious. Currently you should beware of a Father’s Day sweepstakes.
The messenger service WhatsApp is by far the most used in the world. Around 2 billion people communicated regularly via the platform in 2021. In Germany alone there are around 50 million. This is probably one of the reasons why a lot of scammers are targeting Messenger. There is currently a competition for Father’s Day that users should beware of.
Some WhatsApp users are currently getting an unexpected message. The message is said to come from the hardware store Obi and the recipient should be informed about a competition on the occasion of Father’s Day. There are said to be 5,000 gas grills up for grabs. Since the barbecue season is just around the corner or has already started in part, this should sound quite tempting for many.
At first glance, the WhatsApp message looks real. The well-known Obi beaver says hello in the preview and there are no obvious typos except for Obi’s own spelling. The link under the message should make you suspicious, as it refers to a Russian website.
Beware of phishing
Anyone who clicks on the link lands on a page that actually looks like the home page of the hardware store, but is a fake. The site then most likely tries to silently install a virus on the retrieving device. Even unconscious subscriptions have already come about in this way.
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Obi himself has confirmed via Facebook, among other things, that no such competition is currently taking place. So if you receive such a WhatsApp message, do not click on the link and do not forward the message. The only solution in this case is: delete the message.
Unfortunately, scams like this are not uncommon. The best way to protect yourself from so-called phishing attacks is to always check the message source and never simply open a link that cannot be verified with absolute certainty. For example, with the current scam for Father’s Day at Obi, the link is clearly visible. If in doubt, try directly to the site the message purports to be from. At Obi itself you will not find any reference to the competition.