Beware of WhatsApp 24-Hour Verification Account Suspension Phishing Links

Attention! Recently, many people have received this type of message on WhatsApp: "Your account will be permanently banned if verification is not completed within 24 hours," followed by a "security verification" link. Do NOT click it! This is a classic phishing scam!

Some users have fallen victim—after clicking the link, they were asked to enter a verification code. Upon submitting, they noticed account abnormalities and were even tricked into having their identities stolen to borrow money from friends. Hong Kong police and security agencies have long warned that such messages are entirely fabricated by scammers.

Remember these 3 key points to identify scams:

First, official accounts will never send verification notifications via private numbers;

Second, genuine verifications will not redirect to external links;

Third, verification codes are the keys to your account—never disclose them.

If you encounter such messages, blacklist and report them immediately!

We recommend enabling WhatsApp's two-step verification now to add an extra layer of security to your account. Forward this to friends you frequently chat with—don't give scammers any opportunities! Follow me for a step-by-step guide on setting up two-step verification in the next post!