Warning for WhatsApp users as hijacking scams jump

Hong Kong police have warned of a significant rise in WhatsApp account hijacking scams, which increased by 170 percent compared to the same period last year. From January to July this year, police dealt with 1,993 cases, surpassing the total of 1,669 reported in 2025. Victims this year have suffered aggregate losses of HK$146.3 million, although this is a 22.7 percent decrease when compared to the same period in 2025.

Despite the drop in monetary losses, authorities advise against complacency, as some victims have lost millions of dollars or more.

Scammers typically use a simple tactic to carry out these scams. They send a push SMS claiming the victim's account is at risk of suspension or experiencing problems, prompting the user to act immediately. If the user clicks on an embedded hyperlink, their account becomes vulnerable to the scammer, who can access chat histories, impersonate trusted contacts, and solicit payments under various pretexts.

To avoid falling victim to these scams, police urge the public to refrain from accessing suspicious links or QR codes and to double-check the recipient's account before transferring money. Unfamiliar e-wallet or third-party requests should be treated as major red flags.

WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, is committed to combating fraud through the deployment of AI tools designed to detect suspicious activity. Philip Chua, Meta's Asia-Pacific policy director for products, emphasized that account hijacking is a serious breach, enabling criminals to gather personal information and compromise additional accounts.

Chua stressed that fraudsters' tactics will continue to evolve, but the key message for users remains clear: remain vigilant, think twice before taking action, and double-check information through alternate platforms. Meta also noted that AI is already aiding in the proactive removal of compromised accounts and the blocking of suspicious device linking.