Many phone scams rely on sending a message from an unknown number that includes simple phrases such as “This is my new number” or “Do you still remember me?”, taking advantage of the user’s moment of hesitation before confirming the identity of the sender.
WhatsApp plan to combat fraud
To combat this method, WhatsApp has begun to show a warning alert when receiving messages from unknown international numbers in some cases, giving the user an additional opportunity to verify the identity of the other party before starting the conversation or sharing any personal information.
The idea is based on alerting the user when the incoming number is registered in a different country, which may help detect some fraud attempts that rely on impersonating known personalities or claiming to change phone numbers.
Despite the importance of the new feature, it does not provide complete protection against all fraudulent methods. If the number was previously saved in your contacts, the warning may not appear, and some unknown numbers may actually belong to known people who have changed their numbers or moved to another country.
Therefore, WhatsApp stresses the importance of verifying the identity of the sender and not rushing to share personal or financial data, even if the message seems natural or familiar.
This step comes within the framework of a broader trend among communication platforms and messaging applications to enhance digital security tools, in light of the increase in electronic fraud attempts targeting users via text messages and direct conversations.
