WhatsApp accounts targeted by ‘ghost pairing’ scam

Cybercriminals are using a sophisticated WhatsApp scam known as ‘ghost pairing’ to hijack user accounts. Victims receive messages from contacts in their own address book asking them to vote for a friend’s daughter in a contest, often involving a fake ballet school in Prague.

When users click the provided link and enter their phone number or a verification code, they inadvertently authorize a new device to link to their WhatsApp account. This allows scammers to read private chats and send fraudulent messages to the victim's entire contact list, causing the scam to spread rapidly like a snowball.

Authorities, including the Fraudehelpdesk and Veilig Internetten, have issued warnings following numerous reports. One victim reported receiving approximately one hundred responses after a single click, leading WhatsApp to block her account. Experts advise users to never approve device pairings they did not request and to check ‘Linked Devices’ in their settings to remove any unknown access.