Warning over ‘add me to WhatsApp scam’ after rise in complaints

Millions of people are said to have received the scam calls (Picture: AP)

Have you had a robocall asking you to add a number on WhatsApp? Or offering part-time work?

You aren’t alone – the Information Commissioner’s Office is tackling the issue after receiving more than 3,600 complaints in September alone.

But the number of complaints is just the tip of the iceberg – the ICO suspects that millions of people are receiving these worrying scam calls.

Brits have been urged to ignore calls from any unknown numbers and to block and report these robocalls offering work.

Andy Curry,the ICO’s head of criminal investigations,told the BBC: ‘We are trying to find who is behind this,why they’re doing it and the impact it’s having on members of the public.’

The phone calls have increased in frequency (Picture: Getty)

He added: ‘We think there are probably millions of people who are receiving these messages,which appear to us to be largely indiscriminate.

‘I’ve had them; my colleague who’s leading the investigation has had them. It’s likely to be the tip of the iceberg.’

OFCOM has also issued guidance.

‘These kinds of scam calls are intended to encourage you to call back the number the scammer is using,’ they explained.

‘When they’ve got people on the phone,criminals try to manipulate or pressure them into giving out sensitive information or making payments to accounts they control. You could also run up a large bill by unknowingly calling a premium-rate number.

‘If you receive one of these calls,hang up,don’t give out any personal details,and report the call to 7726.’

OFCOM’s Will Pinkney said scammers are likely based abroad and are ‘spoofing’ UK numbers to fool innocent Brits.

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