WhatsApp and SMS scams cost victims an average $733 worldwide

A global study found that fraud carried out through WhatsApp, SMS/iMessage and social‑media platforms has become one of the fastest online crimes. WhatsApp was involved in 43% of cases, followed by SMS/iMessage (40%) and Facebook (27%). More than half of victims (52%) transferred money or shared personal data within 30 minutes of the first contact, and 14% did so in under five minutes. The average monetary loss per incident was reported at $733, with 51% of respondents losing cash and 43% reporting theft of personal information. Most scams (63%) moved across multiple communication channels, and 11% of victims suffered losses exceeding $1,350. The study also noted that two‑thirds of victims believed artificial‑intelligence tools were used to generate deceptive messages. “Escrocii folosesc contexte familiare, situații sociale cunoscute și norme lingvistice bine integrate pentru a-i face pe oameni să creadă că deciziile lor sunt raționale și justificate în acel moment.” The researchers advise verifying any request for money or sensitive data through an independent source.