Online users who have received the "Your Whatsapp Messenger Account has Expired" message below, which claims their WhatsApp Messenger accounts have expired are asked to delete the same message and should not follow the instructions in it. This is because WhatsApp accounts do not expire and the message is a fake that is being sent by cybercriminals to their potential victims. The fake message or phishing scam is being used to trick potential victims into clicking the link within them, which will take them to a fake WhatsApp website where they will be asked to purchase a WhatsApp Messenger extension that doesn't exist.
The "Your Whatsapp Messenger Account has Expired" Scam
From: Whats!App Security <sys@virginmedia.com>
Sent: 26 June 2018 05:32
Subject: Your WhatsApp Messenger account has expired ID NR: 2728522691
Dear,
Attention! Your WhatsApp Messenger account has expired
If you do not re-register, the account will expire within 48 hours.1ntf5TeoKzX
Please log in as soon as possible to avoid loss of all files (Pictures, videos and history ...)1ntf5TeoKzX
Expand your account membership by paying a small fee of GBP 0.991ntf5TeoKzX
Click here to subscribe and continue using our app.
1ntf5TeoKzX
Best regards1
On the fake website, visitors are asked to enter their credit card information to pay for the fake WhatsApp extension. If they enter the requested information their credit cards will be charged for a service that doesn't exist and their credit card information will be stolen and used fraudulently.
WhatsApp users who have already been tricked by the phishing scam are asked to contact their banks and have them cancel the fraudulent transactions and refund their money. They may need to get a new credit card to prevent the cybercriminals from occasionally charging their credit cards for an undetermined amount.