Don’t open links that say you’ve won something, its a phishing scam

Last week the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) issued a statement regarding the rise in SMS and email phishing. Those behind the phishing scams are masquerading as a bank or any other reputable association in order to gather personal information. It seems as though these scams have now transitioned onto WhatsApp and other instant messaging applications.

We have received reports that messages are circulating on WhatsApp saying that the recipient has won something. The messages usually contain a link and say the recipient must click the link to redeem their prize.

In sticking true to a scam, the recipient is then asked to send this link to a set number of people to qualify. This is done by the scammers in order to spread the link as far and as wide as possible.

If you receive a message like this on WhatsApp or any messaging channel, please delete it and don’t interact with the link. If it was sent by someone you know then it would be wise to ask then not to share it further. They should also “delete for everyone” the message to anyone else they forwarded it to.

These messages are very dangerous because as previously mentioned the people behind them are trying to steal your personal information.