Srikanth
Worldwide, WhatsApp has become the most used application and a proven one of the most popular messaging applications. WhatsApp is currently entertaining around two billion active users in the real-time scenario. WhatsApp is the most trusted application, which is used by millions of users not only in India or the U.K. but all over the world.
The platform inherits numerous features like voice calling, video calling, messaging, data sharing, picture sharing, status updating, and many more. The platform is being used by people from all walks of life and also from each sector. This popular application often makes the Meta-owned messaging app a target of scammers who are constantly seeking new strategies to dupe its users into falling prey to their malicious schemes. It is seen that, in some cases, some WhatsApp users are getting messages which are claiming to be sent from the UK’s Visas and Immigration department. The message claims to facilitate job opportunities and free visas for the UK.
Does the intimation only carry this much? No! The message had a lot to communicate. It says the unnamed organization is going to facilitate free accommodation, work permits, medicine access and flight tickets to the specific WhatsApp users. It is estimated that there is a huge team of people engaged in such types of activities that must be tracked soon.
As an observation made by Malwarebytes Labs, the WhatsApp users who are attaining these fraudulent messages are informed that there is a requirement or job opportunity for over 1,32,000 workers in the UK in the year 2022. As per the stats, it states that there are over 1,86,000 vacancies that are available for job seekers. Furthermore, the fraudulent message also depicts the statement that the candidates recruited through this scheme will be benefited from travel expenses, accommodation, medical facilities, instant work permits and visa application assistance. The program is disclosed to all candidates from all nationalities who have a desire to work and study.
This fake message also contains a clickable button that redirects the operator to the fraudulent website masquerading as the website for UK Visas and Immigration.
Here we have listed the entire message received from the fake group, which says, “We are urgently seeking for foreigner candidates to apply for the thousands of jobs already available in the United Kingdom (UK). This job application is free of cost, and right after the approval of the candidate, he/she will be facilitated with work permission, visas, flight tickets and free accommodation in the UK’’.
If we go further towards the same, we get that the site asks targeted WhatsApp users to share their personal details like their first name, last name, email address, and contact number. According to Malwarebytes Labs, no matter what data users fill in the form, the fraudulent site always highlights the same message that is— “After going through your applications, You have been approved to work in the United Kingdom in the year 2022.”
