WhatsApp scams
Scammers send emails, texts and links that look like they come from WhatsApp, to take your password, card details or money. Here is how to tell a fake from the real thing, and how to report one so it gets taken down.
Got a WhatsApp message you are not sure about?
Don't click the link in it. Paste the link into ScamX and we'll tell you whether it really goes to WhatsApp.
Check the linkThe real WhatsApp addresses
WhatsApp's own sites end in:
- whatsapp.com
Read the address up to the first single slash: it must end with one of these. An extra word, a different ending or a shortened link means it is not WhatsApp, however real the page looks. When in doubt, type the address yourself or use the WhatsApp app.
What fake WhatsApp messages look like
- Someone pretending to be a friend, a family member, a celebrity or a well-known company
- Fake job offers from people posing as recruiters
- Investment scams promising low risk and high returns
- Requests to pay to use WhatsApp or to "unban" an account
What WhatsApp says
- WhatsApp is free. Anyone asking you to pay to use it, or to unban your account, is likely a scammer.
- Don't forward suspicious messages; check an unknown contact's identity with a voice or video call.
- Block and report the user, and turn on two-step verification.
How to report a WhatsApp scam
- Tell WhatsApp from inside the app; WhatsApp says this is the only way to report someone. Open the chat, then choose Block and Report.
- Get the fake site taken down. Scan the link: the report names the company hosting it and the registrar of its domain, with a ready-written message for each.
- Put a warning in front of everyone else. Report the link to Google Safe Browsing and Microsoft SmartScreen.
- If you lost money or shared details, call your bank first, then report it to the police or your national fraud line. Where to report in your country.
Other brands scammers copy
WhatsApp's reporting route checked against WhatsApp's own page on 2026-10-10. ScamX is not affiliated with WhatsApp.