'Add me to WhatsApp' scam calls to be investigated
The UK's data watchdog is investigating a spike in complaints about "robo calls" that appear to lead to a recruitment scam.
By BBC News
The UK’s data watchdog is investigating a rise in complaints about automated calls asking people to add the caller on WhatsApp.
The Information Commissioner’s Office received more than 3,600 complaints about robo-calls in September, the highest monthly figure in five years and almost three times the number recorded in July.
The calls usually appear to come from UK mobile numbers. Recorded messages may mention part-time work before directing people to continue the conversation on WhatsApp.
The ICO believes millions of people could be receiving the messages. Andy Curry, the watchdog’s head of criminal investigations, said the calls appeared to be coming from abroad.
“We are trying to find who is behind this, why they’re doing it and the impact it’s having on members of the public,” he told the BBC.
The suspected recruitment scams may direct people to fake job listings. These can involve attempts to persuade victims to move criminal funds through their bank accounts, a practice known as money muling.
The calls may also be used to identify active phone numbers or gather information that could later be sold to other criminals.
A WhatsApp spokesman said the platform has features designed to protect users from scam calls, including an option to silence calls from unknown numbers.
The ICO advises people not to respond to calls from numbers they do not recognise. Suspicious numbers should be blocked and reported to the watchdog.