Caixabank has launched an urgent notice to all its clients to warn them of a fraud that is extending at high speed. It is a fraud that affects users of WhatsAppwhere criminals manage to take over personal accounts through a simple call. This technique has already left access to several victims.
The bank thus adds to the warnings of the National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE), which has registered an increase in cases reported in recent times. The speed and realism of this modality are especially dangerous.
CaixaBank warning of the false WhatsApp coach
The scam mechanism begins with a call received directly through WhatsApp. The number, in most cases, shows an international prefix, such as the United States. When the victim breaks, on the other side there is a technical assumption of the WhatsApp support service.
The offender says that suspicious access has been detected to the user’s account from another device. Under this pretext, request information such as the brand and mobile model, data that, at first glance, do not seem compromising.
A few minutes later, the victim receives an SMS message with a six -digit code. The false technician asks to be facilitated to verify the legitimate phone. Without knowing it, the user delivers full access to their WhatsApp account.
This fraud is not new, although it now adopts a more sophisticated nuance. The well -known “six -digit scam” had already occurred in other variants. On some occasions, deception comes in the form of a message, not call, sent by a contact that has also been scammed.
The message ensures that, by mistake, a code has been sent to the victim number. Being someone known, many people go down their guard and end up sending the code without suspecting.
That six -digit code is essential for account security. It is the one that allows to link the WhatsApp session to a new device. Once in the hands of the scammers, they block the access of the true owner and take total control.
What to do if you lose your WhatsApp account?
Once the account is stolen, recovering it is not easy. As happened in a case reported to the INCIBE, a woman tried to reinstall the application and reactivate her profile by introducing the same code she had provided to the false technician. However, the application no longer recognized its phone number.
WhatsApp indicated that it should introduce a new number, which confirmed that the account had been completely kidnapped. This situation reflects the seriousness of the problem and the need to act quickly to any suspicion.
From Caixabank, the bank insists on the importance of never facilitating verification codes to third parties. Not even even if who calls be ensures of the technical team of a trust application like WhatsApp.
How to protect you from fraud
To avoid falling into this type of fraud, CaixaBank and cybersecurity experts recommend activating the second authentication factor in WhatsApp. This measure adds an extra security layer that hinders the access of criminals, even if they get the initial code.
It is also essential to distrust unexpected calls, especially if they come from international numbers. WhatsApp technical support never calls users to ask for codes or passwords.
In addition, before any questions, it is always better to hang the call and contact the official channels of the application or consult with the bank if any suspicious communication is received.
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