Police warn against WhatsApp account takeover scams

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Police warn against WhatsApp account takeover scams​

Victims of the scam variant are sent phishing links prompting them to verify their WhatsApp accounts.
PHOTO: Singapore Police Force

PUBLISHED ONNovember 12, 2025 2:41 PM
BYDana Leong

The police have warned members of the public to be wary of a new scam variant that targets access to victims' WhatsApp accounts.

In an advisory issued on Wednesday (Nov 12), the police said that such scams begin with SMSes containing phishing links, informing victims that there are issues with their WhatsApp accounts due to the prolonged lack of verification.

Victims would be prompted to verify their accounts through the phishing links that lead to a fake WhatsApp webpage.

Entering their mobile number and a verification code on the fake WhatsApp webpage would then grant scammers access to their WhatsApp accounts, allowing scammers to send fraudulent loan requests to the victims' contacts.

Victims would only realise that they had been scammed when they were logged out of their WhatsApp accounts, discovered unknown devices linked to their accounts, or when they were notified by their contacts about the fraudulent loan requests.

Users who suspect that their WhatsApp account has been compromised should contact WhatsApp to recover their accounts, said the police.

Members of the public are also advised to take precautions to avoid falling for scams by using the ACT (Add, Check, Tell) framework, which involves adding the ScamShield app, checking for scam signs, and telling authorities, family and friends about suspected scams.

Additionally, members of the public can call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 if in doubt.