In 2015, many WhatsApp users were tricked by ‘invite’ scam messages claiming that they could activate a new voice-calling feature by following a link.
Since then, WhatsApp has rolled out free voice calling to all users, so the tactic used in this old scam is no longer relevant.
But, here’s how the scam worked.
Clicking the link in one of the fake messages, took you to a website that instructed you to click an ‘Invite Now’ button to begin the activation process.
However, clicking the button tricked you into sending the same scam message to all of your WhatsApp contacts. Next, you were asked to participate in various dodgy surveys and download related apps. However, these apps contained malware.
In some cases, the fake websites opened pages containing malicious advertising.
There were several variations of the fake invite messages.
Example
Hi, I am inviting you to try WhatsApp calling go to [link removed]
Hey, i am inviting you to try whatsapp calling click here to activate now –> [Link Removed]
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Importance Notice
After considerable thought and with an ache in my heart, I have decided that the time has come to close down the Hoax-Slayer website.These days, the site does not generate enough revenue to cover expenses, and I do not have the financial resources to sustain it going forward.
Moreover, I now work long hours in a full-time and physically taxing job, so maintaining and managing the website and publishing new material has become difficult for me.
And finally, after 18 years of writing about scams and hoaxes, I feel that it is time for me to take my fingers off the keyboard and focus on other projects and pastimes.
When I first started Hoax-Slayer, I never dreamed that I would still be working on the project all these years later or that it would become such an important part of my life. It's been a fantastic and engaging experience and one that I will always treasure.
I hope that my work over the years has helped to make the Internet a little safer and thwarted the activities of at least a few scammers and malicious pranksters.
A Big Thank You
I would also like to thank all of those wonderful people who have supported the project by sharing information from the site, contributing examples of scams and hoaxes, offering suggestions, donating funds, or helping behind the scenes.I would especially like to thank David White for his tireless contribution to the Hoax-Slayer Facebook Page over many years. David's support has been invaluable, and I can not thank him enough.
Closing Date
Hoax-Slayer will still be around for a few weeks while I wind things down. The site will go offline on May 31, 2021. While I will not be publishing any new posts, you can still access existing material on the site until the date of closure.Thank you, one and all!
Brett Christensen,
Hoax-Slayer
