WhatsApp scams grow more sophisticated in Zimbabwe

WhatsApp has become an essential communication platform in Zimbabwe, connecting families, churches, businesses and communities. But as millions of people increasingly rely on the messaging service, criminals are also exploiting it to carry out increasingly sophisticated scams.

Fraudsters have moved beyond simple deception and are now using social engineering, account takeovers and increasingly convincing impersonation tactics to target unsuspecting users.

One of the most common schemes involves criminals impersonating relatives, friends or company representatives and making urgent requests for money, airtime or mobile banking transfers.

In some cases, scammers take control of legitimate WhatsApp accounts and use the victim's trusted contacts to solicit funds. Because the messages appear to come from someone familiar, recipients may act without verifying the request.

The six-digit code trap

Account takeover is another major threat.

Criminals may trick users into handing over the six-digit WhatsApp verification code sent when a phone number is being registered on a device. A fraudster may claim the code was sent accidentally or pretend to be a customer service representative conducting an account verification.

Once the code is disclosed, the criminal can potentially take control of the account and use it to target the victim's contacts.

The scam can spread quickly because the fraudster is operating from an account that friends, relatives and colleagues already trust.

Mobile money makes scams more damaging

Zimbabwe's widespread use of mobile money and digital banking has created another opportunity for fraudsters.

Scammers frequently manufacture a sense of urgency to prevent victims from taking time to verify their claims.

A victim may be told that a relative has been involved in an emergency, that an immediate payment is required to secure a business opportunity, or that their financial account is in danger.

The objective is the same: create enough pressure for the victim to act before thinking critically.

AI creates a new challenge

The emergence of artificial intelligence could make impersonation scams even harder to identify.

Criminals can use AI tools to produce convincing messages that mimic a person's writing style. More advanced technologies, including voice-cloning tools, are also being used in other markets to impersonate relatives, colleagues and other trusted individuals.

Although these techniques are still developing, their emergence highlights the need for greater public awareness as cybercrime becomes increasingly sophisticated.

How users can protect themselves

WhatsApp users can take several basic precautions to reduce their exposure to scams.

Users should never share WhatsApp verification codes, passwords or PINs with another person, regardless of how convincing the request may appear.

Two-step verification should also be enabled as an additional security measure.

Most importantly, requests involving money or sensitive information should be independently verified. Rather than responding to a WhatsApp message, users should call the person directly using a number they already know to be genuine.

Taking a few minutes to confirm an unusual request can prevent potentially significant financial losses.

As Zimbabwe becomes increasingly dependent on digital communication and financial services, cybersecurity awareness will need to become an increasingly important part of everyday life.

The fight against WhatsApp fraud is not the responsibility of technology companies and law-enforcement agencies alone. Individual users also have an important role to play.

In the digital age, caution and verification remain among the strongest defences against increasingly sophisticated online fraud.