The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces – Public Relations Division issued the following statement:
"The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces renews its warning to citizens over the growing number of cyber fraud attempts via the WhatsApp application. It has recently been observed that unknown individuals are exploiting WhatsApp accounts belonging to known persons (friends or relatives) after hacking them, and contacting their contacts by sending fake invitation links to join groups (WhatsApp group) under the pretext that they include mutual friends.
It has also been found that these links lead to fraudulent pages that ask the user to enter or share the one-time password (OTP) received via SMS, enabling the scammer to register the phone number on their own device and gain full control over the victim’s WhatsApp account.
After taking control of the account, the scammer uses it to contact the account holder’s contacts in the same manner, and sometimes requests sums of money through applications or money transfer services approved in Lebanon, impersonating the account owner and using various pretexts.
First: This Directorate General asks citizens to adhere to the following:
- Do not click on any untrusted group invitation link, even if it comes from a relative or someone you know, unless you contact them personally first.
- Do not share the one-time password (OTP) with any person or entity under any circumstances.
- Verify any financial request by contacting the account owner directly.
- Enable the Two-Step Verification feature on WhatsApp.
Second: How to enable Two-Step Verification on WhatsApp:
- Open the WhatsApp application
- Go to Settings
- Select Account
- Tap Two-Step Verification
- Choose Enable
- Create a 6-digit PIN code and keep it محفوظًا
- It is advisable to add an email address (optional)
- Tap Save / Done
After enabling this feature, the scammer will not be able to access the account even if they obtain the verification code, without knowing the PIN code."
