{"id":117028,"date":"2015-01-19T10:05:45","date_gmt":"2015-01-19T08:05:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=117028"},"modified":"2015-01-19T10:09:21","modified_gmt":"2015-01-19T08:09:21","slug":"whatsapp-upgrade-sms-warning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/cellular\/117028-whatsapp-upgrade-sms-warning.html","title":{"rendered":"WhatsApp upgrade SMS warning"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Africans be warned – an\u00a0SMS campaign which can cost unsuspecting WhatsApp users R210 per month\u00a0is doing the rounds.<\/p>\n

TheTechieGuy<\/strong><\/a>, a blog by IT consultant Liron Segev<\/strong><\/a>, described a new \u201cscam\u201d where unsuspecting WhatsApp users are encouraged to click on a link which will cost them R7 per day.<\/p>\n

The SMS reads \u201cYou have not updated to the latest WhatsApp add-ons. Click here now [URL]. (Free MSG) 31655 optout dial 0110621424\u201d.<\/p>\n

Clicking on the link takes users to a screen which asks users to \u201cUpdate your wall 4 WhatsApp\u201d.<\/p>\n

The fine print below a green \u201cContinue\u201d button informs people that this is actually a subscription to a social network called Buddiechat, which costs R7 per day.<\/p>\n

The concern, Segev said, is that some people may think this is a message to update their WhatsApp service.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis one is rather nasty as anyone can fall for it,\u201d Segev explained. \u201cThe scammers are counting on the fact that you will tap and click when you are not focused and in the middle of other things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trying to contact Buddiechat, Westbound Direct<\/h3>\n

MyBroadband tried to contact Buddiechat for comment. However, the call was redirected to Westbound Direct.<\/p>\n

The Westbound Direct phone rang for a while, and was then cut off without being answered.<\/p>\n

The Westbound Direct website provided no information about the company. It only contained a logo, company number, contact details, and the Waspa logo.<\/p>\n

Calling the optout number provided in the SMS did not work at all. The call simply had a long \u201cbeeb\u201d \u2013 typically associated with a number which does not exist.<\/p>\n

MyBroadband contacted Waspa to find out whether this campaign was within its rules, but the organisation did not respond by the time of publication.<\/p>\n

The following image provides an overview of the SMS campaign and the mobile site which it links to.<\/p>\n

\"WhatsApp<\/a>

WhatsApp SMS campaign<\/p><\/div>\n

How to unsubscribe if you’ve been caught<\/h3>\n

Since 2011, South Africa’s mobile operators have been rolling out what they call “double opt in” or “event-based billing” systems to try and prevent\u00a0erroneous or unwitting subscriptions to “services” such as\u00a0this one.<\/p>\n

One of the features added with these new systems is the ability for subscribers to directly manage their subscriptions to so-called “premium content services” offered by Wireless Application Service Providers (Wasps).<\/p>\n

If you need to unsubscribe from a Wasp’s service from Cell C, MTN, or Vodacom, here’s how:<\/p>\n