If you use WhatsApp and you have received messages or calls with unknown prefixes, it is important that you do not answer. And various security institutions, such as the Cyber Police, have warned about scams through this means of communication.
In some modus operandi, the use of international prefixes has been detected, which, being from other countries, become complicated to identify. Therefore, in Techbit We tell you what they are.
WhatsApp prefixes are international numerical codes, preceded by a plus sign (+), that indicate the country of origin of a telephone number.
In Mexico, the prefix is “+52”; If you receive a message or call with a different prefix, you can be sure that it comes from another part of the world and this is when you should be careful.
And cybercriminals often use international prefixes in WhatsApp because they are more complicated to identify, and that same curiosity makes people answer and end up hooked on a possible scam conversation.
According to McAfee, this lack of awareness and education in cybersecurity causes users to fall quickly. But luckily, identifying the prefix is the first step of protection.
Avoid falling into telephone or call scams by identifying the prefixes on WhatsApp. Photo: Unsplash
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According to Tellows and QuienHabla, sites where users can report messages and calls from unknown numbers, there is a list of prefixes for WhatsApp that are commonly related to advertising and scam attempts, the main ones being:
- Ethiopia: +251
- South Africa: +27
- Indonesia: +62
- Cambodia: +855
- Albania: +355
- Ivory Coast: +225
- Ghana: +233
- Nigeria: 234
- Iran: +98
- Cameroon: +237
Remember that the scams They can be committed through alleged job offers, prize claims, identity theft from banking institutions and, in the worst case, the identity theft of a family member.
The first thing you should do is not panic; Stay calm and do the following to protect yourself:
- Do not answer a message or call if you do not recognize the prefix.
- If you don’t know the number, block the contact.
- Do not share personal data.
- Don’t open any links.
- Do not send sensitive data such as your WhatsApp PIN, passwords or bank details.
- Do not make transfers, nor let them pressure you to make them.
- If the sending of messages it becomes constant, it blocks on contact.
- Always identify the identity of the sender, especially if it tells you that it is from the bank. Hang up and verify with the banking institution.
Do not send personal information to numbersDo not send personal information to numbers you do not know. Photo: Unsplashos that you don’t know. Photo: Unsplash
In the event of any attack, report directly to the Cyber Police of the CDMXthrough their Twitter @SSC_CDMX or by email policia.cibernetica@ssp.cdmx.gob.mx
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