WhatsApp messages offering free visas, jobs in UK is fake 

WhatsApp message claiming to offer free Visa and jobs in UK is reportedly fake and being sent with malafide intention of accessing bank details and other sensitive information.

In yet another phishing attempt, a WhatsApp message claiming to offer free Visa and jobs in the UK is reportedly fake and being sent with the bad intention of accessing bank details and other sensitive information of users . The message, which claims to be from the UK government, says that the UK needs more than 1 lakh workers in 2022, so the government is conducting a job fest. The Whatsapp message urges people to apply for the 1,86,000 vacant spots available.

As per a Malwarebytes report, several users have reported receiving fake messages claiming to be from the UK government. The cyber criminals are masquerading as government officials and targeting users who are willing to move to the UK for job prospects. The fraudulent messages claim that the UK government is conducting a recruitment drive to fill in positions for over 186,000 vacant job spots available.

When a vulnerable user, who is probably looking for a job, clicks on the fake link that coems with the message. He is taken to a domain, which is a fake UK visa and immigration website. This is how the scam message looks like, "THE PROGRAM COVERS: Travel expense. Housing. Accommodation. Medical facilities. Applicant must be 16 years or above. Can speak basic English. BENEFIT OF THE PROGRAM: Instant work permit. Visa application assistance. All nationalities can apply. Open to all individuals and students who want to work and study. Apply here."

Such messages are generated to extract the personal and sensitive information of users. When users are taken to the fake website, they start filling out the details they are asked to submit, such as their names, email addresses, phone numbers, marital status, and employment status. The website also falsely convinces users that they will be provided with a free UK visa, accommodation etc, which is completely untrue.

So to stay safe from such scammy messages is to ignore them completely. Whenever you receive messages that offer unrealistic rewards, always cross-check the source from where it is coming. Scammers often target people who are most likely to give in their details. Most of the time, these messages are not curated properly, they are grammatically incorrect and carry special characters.