My WhatsApp Group has been inundated with calls from both these numbers – 084 402 4264 and 084 658 5660 – directed at individual members of the group.
The modus operandi goes as follows: “A Patrick calls saying that he is calling from the group about some meeting. When told by the individual that declines attending the ‘meeting’, he rudely says; ‘Get f…'”
There is a Penny with the same story.
According to his WhatsApp profile Adi Patrick is a Graphic Designer with ID No. 102578410255 and Blood Type B+
It is suspected that ‘Patrick’ is busy with a WhatsApp Account Takeover Scam.
The WhatsApp account takeover scam is designed to steal your account, contact list, and personal information, say police and security experts.
How the “Virtual Meeting PIN” Scam Works
Initial Contact: You receive a message from a known contact (whose account is already hacked) or an unknown number, claiming to be a friend or a “professional” organization.
The Hook: They invite you to a “virtual meeting” (often via Zoom or a fake video platform).
The Request: Before or during the call, they say they are sending a “meeting PIN,” “voting code,” or “registration code” to your phone via SMS.
The Theft: That “PIN” is actually your 6-digit WhatsApp verification code.
The Result: As soon as you share that code with them, your WhatsApp logs out on your phone and logs into theirs.
The Next Stage: Once they control your account, they immediately lock you out, enable Two-Step Verification, and message your contacts asking for urgent money.
Urgency: The scammer pressures you to send the code immediately.
SMS Code: A request for a PIN sent via SMS by WhatsApp is always a security check, not a meeting login.
Suspicious Links: The “virtual meeting” invitation often contains malicious links.
How to Protect Yourself
NEVER SHARE THE CODE: Never share your 6-digit verification code or SMS code with anyone, not even friends or family.
Enable Two-Step Verification: Go to Settings > Account > Two-step verification and set a PIN. This prevents scammers from accessing your account even if they get your code.
Verify via Call: If a friend asks for a code, call them on their regular phone number (not WhatsApp) to verify it is really them.
Check Linked Devices: Go to WhatsApp Settings > Linked Devices to see if any unknown computers are using your account.
What to Do If You Fell for It
Log Back In: Try to log in to your WhatsApp account again with your phone number and verify with the new SMS code. This will log the scammer out.
Warn Others: Contact friends and family immediately through other platforms (Facebook, SMS, calls) to warn them that your account was hacked.
Report the Account: When you get your account back, block the scammer and report them to WhatsApp.
