MIRROR
Anyone with a WhatsApp account would be wise to follow the latest advice from the messaging firm to stop their accounts from being targeted by cyber crooks. With the recent resurgence of a worrying six-digit text scam – that can give hackers full access to private chats – WhatsApp has reminded its billions of users about the dangers of falling for fake messages.
Due to its massive popularity, WhatsApp is always going to be a big target for thieves but there are simple ways to avoid becoming a victim including heading to the settings and making sure your profile picture is private.
WhatsApp says this is an easy way to keep your identity safe as strangers can’t view the photo or steal it in a bid to trick friends or contacts into believing that they are speaking to you.
The change takes seconds and is definitely worth considering if you’re worried about scams or online threats.
How to make your profile picture visible only to your contacts.
Tap Settings > Account > Privacy > Profile Picture > then change to My contacts.
Perhaps the biggest reason to hide your face from view is the dreaded ‘friend in need’ scam. This is where the hacker pretends to be a close family member and then asks for money to be transferred due to their phone and wallet being lost or stolen.
