Social media scams over the phone
On a call the pressure is live: no time to read, no time to check, and a rule that you must not tell anyone.
Guides
WhatsApp Account Takeover Through a Shared Verification CodeA stranger or contact asks for the six-digit WhatsApp code you just received. It lets them take…Wrong Number Message That Turns Into a FriendshipA polite 'sorry, wrong number' message slowly becomes a friendship, then an investment or gift…Hacked Friend's Account Asking for Urgent MoneyA message from a friend's hacked or cloned profile asks for urgent UPI money. Learn how to check…Fake Lottery and KBC Prize MessageYou are told you won a huge lottery or a quiz-show prize and must pay a tax or processing fee…Sextortion Through a Video Call RecordingA friendly stranger starts a video call, a recording is made and you are threatened with sharing…Morphed Photo Blackmail from a StrangerA stranger sends an edited explicit picture using your public photo and demands money. Learn why…
Check before you act
- The caller asks for an OTP, UPI PIN, card PIN or CVV.
- You are told that a case, arrest, block or penalty is coming within minutes.
- You are asked to move money to a "safe account".
- You are told to keep the call secret.
More: all social media scams · all scams over the phone
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.