New Delhi, April 9: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has recently raised the alarm on a new kind of trouble for WhatsApp users; the WhatsApp call scam. This alert warns individuals about cybercriminals who are using WhatsApp calls to commit crimes or swipe personal details.

The WhatsApp call scam is serious; the DoT reports that these scammers are pretending to be government officials and threatening users with disconnection of their mobile numbers due to supposed illegal activities. It's essential for everyone getting such calls to stay alert and not share any personal information. WhatsApp New Feature Update: Meta-Owned Messaging Platform Likely To Soon Roll Out Notifications for New Status Updates.

As per a report of Zee News, scammers or cybercriminals are using WhatsApp to make fake calls to commit financial fraud or steal personal information, so the Ministry of Communications has issued a warning to mobile users to be cautious. Callers may claim to represent the Department of Telecommunications and tell users that their number will be cut off because it's been used for illegal acts. The truth is, these are just scare tactics used by scammers to get your personal info.

How to Recognise and Report WhatsApp Call Scams?

Cybercriminals are quite clever in their approach, often generate and fear people by mentioning the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to make their scams look legitimate. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from DoT and they start threatening you with disconnection of your service, remember this is always a red flag and must be avoided without sharing any personal information. The actual DoT would not make such calls. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has provided guidance on calls from foreign mobile numbers on WhatsApp, including +92, +63, +84 and +254. WhatsApp New Feature Update: Meta-Owned Messaging Platform Likely To Soon Introduce International Payments and Locked Chats Feature for Linked Devices.

The best step to take is reporting these fraudulent calls. The government has set up a platform called the “I-Report Suspected Fraud Communications” feature on www.sancharsathi.gov.in website for this very purpose. By reporting, you help authorities track down these scammers and prevent them from tricking more people.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 09, 2024 10:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).