WhatsApp users who have received fake email or text messages like the one below, which claim their WhatsApp Trial has expired, should delete them. They should also not follow the instructions in the fake messages. This is because the fake messages are being sent by cyber criminals to trick their potential victims into visiting a fake/phishing WhatsApp website that steals credit card information. And, WhatsApp does not have a trial and does not need to be renewed.
The "Your Whatsapp Trial Has Expired" Phishing Scam
From: Whatsapp <test2017@0101domain.com>
Sent: 18 July 2017 13:32:57
To: jans15@hotmail.co.uk
Subject: Your Whatsapp Trial Has Expired
Dear WhatsApp User,
Your free WhatsApp subscription has expired,
to maintain your username and continue to benefit from our services
we invite you to follow these instructions.
Extend your subscribe
Sincerly.
Whatsapp Inc.
If the recipients of the fake/phishing messages click the link or follow the instructions in them, they will be taken a fake/phishing WhatsApp website, where they will be asked to enter their credit card information in order to renew their subscription. But, once the potential victims attempt to do, their credit card information will be sent to the cyber criminals behind the scam. Once the cyber criminals have received the stolen credit card information, they will use it fraudulently.
WhatsApp users who have been tricked into visiting the fake WhatsApp website and have entered their credit card information on it, are asked to contact their banks for help immediately. They should let their banks know that they have unknowingly used their credit card on a fraudulent or phishing website.