WhatsApp scams: Gold, free money, spying apps and everything else you should worry about

<!DOCTYPE html>   <html>  <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.independent.co.uk:80/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/whatsapp-gold-vouchers-message-hoax-scam-is-it-safe-security-privacy-a7398406.html","20161120221357","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1479680037"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <title>WhatsApp scams: Gold, free money, spying apps and everything else you should worry about | The Independent</title> <link rel="manifest" href="/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/manifest.json">   <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://players.brightcove.net/"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://tags.onscroll.com/"/> <meta name="article:subsection" content=""/> <meta name="article:external_link_count" content="0"/> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"/> <meta name="article:embed_count" content="0"/> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"/> <meta name="article:image_count" content="1"/> <meta name="article:internal_link_count" content="4"/> <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/whatsapp-gold-vouchers-message-hoax-scam-is-it-safe-security-privacy-a7398406.html?amp" rel="amphtml"/> <meta property="article:section" content="Features"/> <meta name="article:author_name" content="Andrew Griffin"/> <meta name="article:content_type" content="story"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://static.standard.co.uk/"/> <meta name="article:word_count" content="996"/> <meta name="article:video_count" content="0"/> <meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=499587380, affiliate-data=1l3v95Z"/> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://static.independent.co.uk/"/> <meta name="description" content="Almost everybody uses WhatsApp. That’s what makes it so useful – but it’s also what makes it so dangerous. As WhatsApp and other chat apps have grown, they’ve also picked up their unfair share of scams. They come in many different forms, and are often very convincing. But the advice for steering clear and staying safe is the same as it is everywhere else on the internet, really. Just make sure that you stay vigilant and don’t fall for anything that seems too good or too worrying to be true. Here’s some of the things you should be looking out for."/> <meta name="keywords" content="WhatsApp, Features, Tech, Lifestyle"/> <meta name="generator" content="Drupal 7 (http://drupal.org)"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/whatsapp-gold-vouchers-message-hoax-scam-is-it-safe-security-privacy-a7398406.html"/> <meta property="fb:admins" content="729735830"/> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="235586169789578"/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="The Independent"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Everything you should worry about if you use WhatsApp"/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/whatsapp-gold-vouchers-message-hoax-scam-is-it-safe-security-privacy-a7398406.html"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Almost everybody uses WhatsApp. That’s what makes it so useful – but it’s also what makes it so dangerous. As WhatsApp and other chat apps have grown, they’ve also picked up their unfair share of scams. They come in many different forms, and are often very convincing. But the advice for steering clear and staying safe is the same as it is everywhere else on the internet, really. Just make sure that you stay vigilant and don’t fall for anything that seems too good or too worrying to be true. Here’s some of the things you should be looking out for."/> <meta property="og:updated_time" content="2016-11-04T17:21:32+00:00"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/06/09/whatsappdog.jpg"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@independent"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="WhatsApp scams: Gold, free money, spying apps and everything else you should worry about"/> <meta name="twitter:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/whatsapp-gold-vouchers-message-hoax-scam-is-it-safe-security-privacy-a7398406.html"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Almost everybody uses WhatsApp. That’s what makes it so useful – but it’s also what makes it so dangerous. As WhatsApp and other chat apps have grown, they’ve also picked up their unfair share of scams. They come in many different forms, and are often very convincing. But the advice for steering clear and staying safe is the same as it is everywhere else on the internet, really. Just make sure that you stay vigilant and don’t fall for anything that seems too good or too worrying to be true. Here’s some of the things you should be looking out for."/> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_GB"/> <meta property="article:tag" content="WhatsApp"/> <meta property="article:published_time" content="2016-11-04T17:21:32+00:00"/> <meta property="article:modified_time" content="2016-11-04T17:21:32+00:00"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/web/20161120221357im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/favicon.ico" type="image/ico"/> <meta name="msvalidate.01" content="58C7FB6B9237322BB527AA3C68656AE3"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20161120221357im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-60x60.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20161120221357im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/apple-icon-72x72.png" sizes="72x72"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" 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</ul></li> </ul> <ul class="follow"> <li>Follow us:</li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/https://www.facebook.com/TheIndependentOnline" target="_blank" title="Facebook" class="icon-facebook"></a> </li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/https://twitter.com/independent" target="_blank" title="Twitter" class="icon-twitter"></a> </li> </ul> </div> </header> <div id="content"> <div class="region region-header"> <div class="ad-leaderboard"> <div id="leaderboard" style="margin: 0 auto 40px;"></div> </div> </div> <div id="cookie-warning"> <a href="#" class="close icon-close" title="OK"></a> <p>We use cookies to enhance your visit to our site and to bring you advertisements that might interest you. Read our <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html">Privacy</a> and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html">Cookie</a> Policies to find out more.</p> </div> <div class="tabs"></div> <div class="region region-content"> <article class="full-article" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/NewsArticle"> <meta itemprop="mainEntityOfPage" content="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/whatsapp-gold-vouchers-message-hoax-scam-is-it-safe-security-privacy-a7398406.html"> <div itemprop="publisher" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Organization"> <meta itemprop="name" content="The Independent"> <link itemprop="sameAs" href="http://www.independent.co.uk"> <link itemprop="logo" href="https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/brand-logo.png"> </div> <header> <ol vocab="http://schema.org/" typeof="BreadcrumbList" class="breadcrumbs clearfix"><li property="itemListElement" typeof="ListItem"><a property="item" typeof="WebPage" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style"><span property="name">Lifestyle</span></a></li><li property="itemListElement" typeof="ListItem"><a property="item" typeof="WebPage" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech"><span property="name">Tech</span></a></li><li property="itemListElement" typeof="ListItem"><a property="item" typeof="WebPage" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features"><span property="name">Features</span></a></li></ol> <h1 itemprop="headline" class=" ">WhatsApp scams: Gold, free money, spying apps and everything else you should worry about</h1> <div class="intro"> <p>Using WhatsApp is mostly safe. But here’s how to avoid the people who want to make it otherwise</p> </div> <ul class="caption meta inline-pipes-list"> <li class="author" itemprop="author" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"> <span itemprop="name"><a href="/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/author/andrew-griffin" title="Andrew Griffin" itemprop="sameAs">Andrew Griffin</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/https://twitter.com/_andrew_griffin">@_andrew_griffin</a> </li> <li title="4 November 2016 17:16 London"><time data-microtimes="{"published":"1478279760000","display":0,"changed":"1478279760000"}" datetime="17:16, 4 November 2016">Friday 4 November 2016 17:16 BST</time></li> <li class="comments"> <a href="#commentsDiv" id="comment-count" class="icon-comment"></a> </li> </ul> <div id="gigya-share-btns-1"></div> <div class="fb-like"> <iframe src="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357if_/https://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FIndependent-Tech-174075199466438%2F&width=450&layout=button&action=like&size=large&show_faces=false&share=false&height=35&appId=235586169789578" width="70" height="35" style="border:none;overflow:hidden;float:left;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe> <div class="fb-info">Click to follow<br/>The Independent Tech</div> </div> </header>  <figure itemprop="associatedMedia image" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject" class="featured-media medium-width"> <meta itemprop="representativeOfPage" content="true"> <meta itemprop="url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/06/09/whatsappdog.jpg"> <meta itemprop="width" content="2500"> <meta itemprop="height" content="1875"> <picture title="whatsappdog.jpg">  <source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/article_medium/public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/06/09/whatsappdog.jpg 1x" media="(min-width: 620px) and (max-width: 929px)"/> <source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/article_large/public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/06/09/whatsappdog.jpg 1x" media="(min-width: 930px) and (max-width: 1239px)"/> <source srcset="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/06/09/whatsappdog.jpg 1x" media="(min-width: 1240px)"/>  <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357im_/https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/article_small/public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/06/09/whatsappdog.jpg" alt="whatsappdog.jpg" title="whatsappdog.jpg"/> </picture> <figcaption itemprop="description" class="caption"> The Facebook and WhatsApp applications' icons are displayed on a smartphone on February 20, 2014 in Rome <span class="copyright">AFP/Getty</span> </figcaption> </figure> <div class="article-wrapper clearfix"> <div class="main-content-column"> <div class="text-wrapper" itemprop="articleBody"> <p>Almost everybody uses WhatsApp. That’s what makes it so useful – but it’s also what makes it so dangerous.</p> <p>As WhatsApp and other chat apps have grown, they’ve also picked up their unfair share of scams. They come in many different forms, and are often very convincing.</p> <p>But the advice for steering clear and staying safe is the same as it is everywhere else on the internet, really. Just make sure that you stay vigilant and don’t fall for anything that seems too good or too worrying to be true.</p> <p>Here’s some of the things you should be looking out for.</p> <h3>Voucher scams</h3> <p>This is a tale at least as old as text messages. But it<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/whatsapp-message-scam-topshop-sainsburys-safe-is-it-what-to-do-how-to-know-a7381876.html">’s lived on into the WhatsApp age and is showing no sign of dying</a>.</p> <p>It works like this: a message arrives in your WhatsApp from someone who looks like your friend, recommending a deal they’ve found. The deal will usually be good – a voucher for £100 off at Sainsbury’s or TopShop, for instance, usually justified by the fact that the company is changing one of its systems or something.</p> <div class="dnd-widget-wrapper context-sdl_editor_representation type-gallery"><div class="dnd-atom-rendered"><div class="image"><script> <![CDATA[// ><!]]> </script><div class="container grid-mod-gallery" data-scald-gallery="3906706">  <h2 class="gallery-title"><span class="media-prefix icon-gallery"></span>Gadgets and tech news in pictures</h2> <div class="images">  <ul><li class="lazy " data-original="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2016/11/18/15/tech-gallery-10-181116.jpg"> <a data-gallery-thumb="1" href="#"><span class="pager icon-arrow-left"></span></a> <a data-gallery-thumb="1" href="#"><span class="pager icon-arrow-right"></span></a> </li> <li class="lazy " 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url('/web/20161120221357im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/ines_theme/img/blank.gif');" class=""></li> </ul><span class="icon-arrow-left"></span> <span class="icon-arrow-right"></span> <a href="#" class="pager prev" title="Previous photo"></a> <a href="#" class="pager next" title="Next photo"></a> </div> <ul class="legends"><li data-gallery-legend="1"> <h2> <span class="counter">1/38</span>  </h2>  <p>A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China</p>  <p class="credits">Rex</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="2"> <h2> <span class="counter">2/38</span>  </h2>  <p>A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China </p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="3"> <h2> <span class="counter">3/38</span>  </h2>  <p>A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="4"> <h2> <span class="counter">4/38</span>  </h2>  <p>A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="5"> <h2> <span class="counter">5/38</span>  </h2>  <p>A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="6"> <h2> <span class="counter">6/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Electrification Guru Dr. Wolfgang Ziebart talks about the electric Jaguar I-PACE concept SUV before it was unveiled before the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California, U.S</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="7"> <h2> <span class="counter">7/38</span>  </h2>  <p>The Jaguar I-PACE Concept car is the start of a new era for Jaguar. This is a production preview of the Jaguar I-PACE, which will be revealed next year and on the road in 2018</p>  <p class="credits">AP</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="8"> <h2> <span class="counter">8/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Japan's On-Art Corp's CEO Kazuya Kanemaru poses with his company's eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot 'TRX03' and other robots during a demonstration in Tokyo, Japan</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="9"> <h2> <span class="counter">9/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Japan's On-Art Corp's eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot 'TRX03'</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="10"> <h2> <span class="counter">10/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Japan's On-Art Corp's eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot 'TRX03' performs during its unveiling in Tokyo, Japan</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="11"> <h2> <span class="counter">11/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Singulato Motors co-founder and CEO Shen Haiyin poses in his company's concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="12"> <h2> <span class="counter">12/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Singulato Motors' concept car Tigercar P0</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="13"> <h2> <span class="counter">13/38</span>  </h2>  <p>The interior of Singulato Motors' concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="14"> <h2> <span class="counter">14/38</span>  </h2>  <p>A picture shows Singulato Motors' concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="15"> <h2> <span class="counter">15/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Connected company president Shigeki Tomoyama addresses a press briefing as he elaborates on Toyota's "connected strategy" in Tokyo. The Connected company is a part of seven Toyota in-house companies that was created in April 2016</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="16"> <h2> <span class="counter">16/38</span>  </h2>  <p>A Toyota Motors employee demonstrates a smartphone app with the company's pocket plug-in hybrid (PHV) service on the cockpit of the latest Prius hybrid vehicle during Toyota's "connected strategy" press briefing in Tokyo</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="17"> <h2> <span class="counter">17/38</span>  </h2>  <p>An exhibitor charges the battery cells of AnyWalker, an ultra-mobile chasis robot which able to move in any kind of environment during Singapore International Robo Expo</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="18"> <h2> <span class="counter">18/38</span>  </h2>  <p>A robot with a touch-screen information apps stroll down the pavillon at the Singapore International Robo Expo</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="19"> <h2> <span class="counter">19/38</span>  </h2>  <p>An exhibitor demonstrates the AnyWalker, an ultra-mobile chasis robot which able to move in any kind of environment during Singapore International Robo Expo</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="20"> <h2> <span class="counter">20/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Robotic fishes swim in a water glass tank displayed at the Korea pavillon during Singapore International Robo Expo</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="21"> <h2> <span class="counter">21/38</span>  </h2>  <p>An employee shows a Samsung Electronics' Gear S3 Classic during Korea Electronics Show 2016 in Seoul, South Korea</p>  <p class="credits">Reuters</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="22"> <h2> <span class="counter">22/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Visitors experience Samsung Electronics' Gear VR during the Korea Electronics Grand Fair at an exhibition hall in Seoul, South Korea</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="23"> <h2> <span class="counter">23/38</span>  </h2>  <p>People buy new iPhone models at a telecom shop in Seoul, South Korea</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="24"> <h2> <span class="counter">24/38</span>  </h2>  <p>People wait in line to buy new iPhone models at a telecom shop in Seoul, South Korea</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="25"> <h2> <span class="counter">25/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Amy Rimmer, Research Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, demonstrates the car manufacturer's Advanced Highway Assist in a Range Rover, which drives the vehicle, overtakes and can detect vehicles in the blind spot, during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire</p>  <p class="credits">PA wire</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="26"> <h2> <span class="counter">26/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Ford EEBL Emergency Electronic Brake Lights is demonstrated during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire</p>  <p class="credits">PA</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="27"> <h2> <span class="counter">27/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Chris Burbridge, Autonomous Driving Software Engineer for Tata Motors European Technical Centre, demonstrates the car manufacturer's GLOSA V2X functionality, which is connected to the traffic lights and shares information with the driver, during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire</p>  <p class="credits">PA wire</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="28"> <h2> <span class="counter">28/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Full-scale model of 'Kibo' on display at the Space Dome exhibition hall of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center, in Tsukuba, north-east of Tokyo, Japan</p>  <p class="credits">EPA</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="29"> <h2> <span class="counter">29/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Miniatures on display at the Space Dome exhibition hall of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center, in Tsukuba, north-east of Tokyo, Japan. In its facilities, JAXA develop satellites and analyse their observation data, train astronauts for utilization in the Japanese Experiment Module 'Kibo' of the International Space Station (ISS) and develop launch vehicles</p>  <p class="credits">EPA</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="30"> <h2> <span class="counter">30/38</span>  </h2>  <p>The robot developed by Seed Solutions sings and dances to the music during the Japan Robot Week 2016 at Tokyo Big Sight. At this biennial event, the participating companies exhibit their latest service robotic technologies and components</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="31"> <h2> <span class="counter">31/38</span>  </h2>  <p>The robot developed by Seed Solutions sings and dances to music during the Japan Robot Week 2016 at Tokyo Big Sight</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="32"> <h2> <span class="counter">32/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Government and industry are working together on a robot-like autopilot system that could eliminate the need for a second human pilot in the cockpit</p>  <p class="credits">AP</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="33"> <h2> <span class="counter">33/38</span>  </h2>  <p>Aurora Flight Sciences' technicians work on an Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automantion System (ALIAS) device in the firm's Centaur aircraft at Manassas Airport in Manassas, Va. </p>  <p class="credits">AP</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="34"> <h2> <span class="counter">34/38</span>  Flight Simulator </h2>  <p>Stefan Schwart and Udo Klingenberg preparing a self-built flight simulator to land at Hong Kong airport, from Rostock, Germany </p>  <p class="credits">EPA</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="35"> <h2> <span class="counter">35/38</span>  Flight Simulator </h2>  <p>In recent months, computer specialists of the project MV-IT systems have built a Boeing 737-800 cockpit and reconstructed part of the cabin with 15 seats.  The simulator will be officially opened on October 19, 2016 and able to 'land' at over 20,000 airfields in different weather conditions and at all times and seasons</p>  <p class="credits">EPA</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="36"> <h2> <span class="counter">36/38</span>  PlayStation VR </h2>  <p>The launch of PlayStation VR at the GAME Digital Westfield White City midnight launch</p>  <p class="credits">GAME Digital</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="37"> <h2> <span class="counter">37/38</span>  PlayStation VR </h2>  <p>An elated customer at the launch of PlayStation VR at the GAME Digital Westfield White City midnight launch.</p>  <p class="credits">GAME Digital</p> </li> <li data-gallery-legend="38"> <h2> <span class="counter">38/38</span>  PlayStation VR </h2>  <p>Customers wait in line to buy the Sony PlayStation virtual reality (PSVR) headset at the entrance of an electronics retail shop before its opening hours in Tokyo</p>  <p class="credits">Getty</p> </li> </ul><div class="ad-mpu mpu5-container"> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div> <p>But it’s barely ever real. The messages usually come with a link that actually takes you to another website and tricks you into giving your personal information over.</p> <p>Staying safe from these is fairly simple: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/whatsapp-message-scam-topshop-sainsburys-safe-is-it-what-to-do-how-to-know-a7381876.html">don’t ever click a link you’re not sure about and certainly don’t ever hand over personal information to a website you haven’t checked</a>.</p> <h3>WhatsApp ending</h3> <p>Other fake messages claim that WhatsApp is going to end, unless enough people share a certain message. It isn’t happening.</p> <p>The messages often look convincing, claiming to come from the CEO or another official. And they’re written using the right words and phrases, looking like an official statement.</p> <p>But any official statement wouldn’t need users to send it to everyone like a round robin. If WhatsApp does actually shut down, you’ll either see it in the news or it’ll come up as a proper notification in the app from the actual WhatsApp team.</p> <h3>Or it’s shutting down your account</h3> <p>This is very similar – and a similarly old trick. They will usually say something that looks like an official message that claims that people’s WhatsApp accounts are being shut down for being out of use. Sending the message on will prove that it’s actually being used and </p> <p>It’s not true. This is the kind of thing that’s been going round the internet for years – and has never actually been the case.</p> <p>It works very well because it feels like the kind of thing that might happen, and instructs people to share it along.</p> <h3>Or making you pay</h3> <p>This, again, is the same. The only difference is that the message supposedly exempts you from having to pay for your account. It doesn’t, because the company isn’t ever going to force people to pay (and, if it does, it’ll announce it in the normal way).</p> <p>As with all of these, ignore them and don’t forward them on.</p> <h3>WhatsApp Gold or WhatsApp Premium</h3> <p>This, unlike the other scams, is specific to WhatsApp. But it’s just as wrong.</p> <p>The claim suggests that <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/whatsapp-gold-plus-scam-malware-download-get-message-a7045606.html">people pay for or download a special version of WhatsApp, usually called Gold or Premium</a>. It offers a range of exciting-sounding features, like the ability to send more pictures, use new emoji or add extra security features.</p> <p>The problem is that it’s far from secure – and is actually entirely made up. Downloading the app infects people’s phones with malware and helps them get used for crime. And sometimes it will force people to pay for something that not only is dangerous, but certainly won’t actually help make WhatsApp any better at all.</p> <h3>Emails from WhatsApp</h3> <p>Emails are dodgy enough. Emails plus WhatsApp are even dodgier.</p> <p>There’s a range of scams out there that send people emails that look like they’ve come from WhatsApp, usually looking like a notification for a missed voice call or voicemail. But when people click through, they end up getting scammed – either by being tricked into giving over their information or through other means.</p> <p>Don’t ever click on an email from a questionable sender. And WhatsApp will never send you emails including information about missed calls or voicemails.</p> <p>Any you do get should be ignored and send to the junk.</p> <h3>Fake WhatsApp spying apps</h3> <p>It’s just not possible to let people spy on other’s conversations on WhatsApp – or at least it shouldn’t be – because the company has end-to-end encryption enabled, which makes sure that messages can only be read by the phones that send and receive them. But the possibility of reading other people’s chats seems very exciting – so exciting that it’s being used for scams.</p> <p>The apps at their best encourage people to download something that isn’t actually real. At their worst they encourage people to pay money for fake users, install malware, or actually do read your chats once they’ve got onto your phone.</p> <p>You won’t be able to read anyone else’s chats, unless you actually have their phone. But the makers of spy apps might be able to read yours.</p> <h3>Intruders on your conversations</h3> <p>And this isn’t so much a hoax as a continual worry. WhatsApp is in fact a very secure platform – that’s why many of these things come as messages rather than viruses or anything else – but there are issues.</p> <div class="dnd-widget-wrapper context-sdl_editor_representation type-video"><div class="dnd-atom-rendered"><div class="image"> <div class="bc_container"> <video id="4834072376001" data-account="624246174001" data-player="2d3d4a83-ba40-464e-9bfb-2804b076bf67" data-embed="default" data-video-id="4834072376001" class="video-js" controls=""></video><script src="//web.archive.org/web/20161120221357js_/http://players.brightcove.net/624246174001/2d3d4a83-ba40-464e-9bfb-2804b076bf67_default/index.min.js"></script></div>  </div></div><div class="dnd-caption-wrapper">WhatsApp encryption in 60 seconds</div></div> <p>Last month, when Amnesty said that the app was the safest chat app, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/whatsapp-facebook-secure-privacy-amnesty-data-sharing-eff-best-most-chat-app-a7373361.html">security experts rushed to point out that there is actually a range of security problems</a>. Those include the fact that the company is getting increasingly trigger happy about handing data over to its users, and also that its encryption can be got around in various ways.</p> <meta itemprop="datePublished" content="2016-11-04T17:16:00+00:00"/> <ul class="inline-pipes-list"> <li> More about: </li> <li><a itemprop="keywords" href="/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/topic/whatsapp">WhatsApp</a></li> </ul> <div id="gigya-share-btns-2"></div> <a href="/web/20161120221357/http://www.independent.co.uk/syndication/reuse-permision-form?url=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/whatsapp-gold-vouchers-message-hoax-scam-is-it-safe-security-privacy-a7398406.html" target="_blank" class="syndication-btn"><img src="/web/20161120221357im_/http://www.independent.co.uk/sites/all/themes/ines_themes/independent_theme/img/reuse.png" width="25">Reuse content</a> </div> <div class="box-comments"> </div> <div class="taboola"> <div 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