WhatsApp Job Scams Hit 42% of Users in India, Survey Finds

A new survey by community platform LocalCircles has revealed that over 42% of WhatsApp users in India have received fake job offers promising work-from-home or part-time opportunities. Most of these scams ask people to pay an upfront fee.

The survey, which gathered responses from over 22,000 citizens across 312 districts, highlights how cybercriminals are using WhatsApp to trick people with various types of scams. Nearly half of the respondents said they had received some form of scam message on the messaging platform.

Common WhatsApp Scams Reported

Here’s a breakdown of the different types of scams users reported:

• 45% received fake lottery or celebrity show messages asking for a refundable processing fee.

• 42% got job offers from fake companies that demanded upfront payments.

• 42% received threats to disconnect electricity or gas services unless they paid a bill.

• 21% were sent QR codes or suspicious links offering fake rewards.

• 12% were victims of impersonation, where scammers pretended to be them and messaged their contacts.

• 12% faced WhatsApp OTP scams, where criminals tried to access their accounts.

• 9% were targeted by video calls later used for blackmail.

• 6% received fake legal threats demanding money.

• 24% reported encountering other types of scams.

One in eight people said scammers had impersonated them by using their name and profile picture to contact their friends and family for money or gift cards. Even more worrying, 35% said someone from their contact list had been impersonated.

Real-Life Victims

Some recent cases show how serious these scams can be:

• A 63-year-old man in Mumbai lost ₹7.31 crore after being tricked by scammers pretending to be stock market experts.

• A dentist in Kolkata was scammed by someone claiming to be an army officer. Instead of helping, a malicious link drained his bank account.

• Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma shared that someone recently tried to impersonate him through WhatsApp.

Scammers Go Global

The Union Home Ministry has warned that many of these scams are run by cross-border crime syndicates. They often pretend to be police or government officials and use fear to force people into sending money.

Scammers now prefer using international WhatsApp numbers and avoid older methods like email and SMS. They take advantage of the trust people place in WhatsApp, making their messages feel more personal.

What Needs to Be Done

LocalCircles has called on the government to take strong action. Some of their suggestions include:

• Stricter SIM card verification.

• Letting users easily report scam numbers.

• Better data sharing between telecom companies.

• Using AI to automatically detect and block scam messages on WhatsApp.

The survey results have been sent to key government departments like TRAI, DoT, MEITY, and the Central Consumer Protection Authority for further action.

Who Took the Survey?

The LocalCircles survey received over 22,000 responses:

• 67% were men, and 33% were women.

• 44% were from Tier 1 cities, 33% from Tier 2, and 23% from smaller towns and rural areas.

As WhatsApp becomes a common tool for scammers, experts urge users to stay alert and avoid clicking on suspicious links or sharing personal details.