Ukrainians warned about a new Viber fraud scheme: how to protect your data
19 February 22:14
Ukrainians have been warned of a new fraudulent scheme to steal personal data from users of the popular Viber messenger. This was reported by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Fraudsters have become more active on Viber, posing as representatives of well-known services and companies. They trick users into entering SMS codes, which allows them to take over accounts.
How does the scam work?
Attackers send messages on behalf of popular services or mobile operators asking users to enter an SMS code to
- confirmation of registration or account;
- activate a new tariff plan;
- verify accountsecurity.
In fact, the code entered by the user activates his or her account on another device, transferring control to fraudsters.
Follow us on Telegram: the main news in a nutshell
How to protect your account?
To avoid losing access to Viber and personal data, follow simple security rules:
- Don’t share activation codes even with people you know.
- Block suspicious messages and users.
- Limit contacts from unknown people in Viber settings.
- Check your privacy settings and activate two-step verification.
How to understand if your Viber has been hacked:
- You receive a message about changing your device or logging out.
- Messages appear in chats that you did not send.
- Friends or colleagues receive suspicious messages from your account.
- You can’t sign in to Viber from your device.
What should I do if Viber has been hacked?
Log out of all devices
- If you have access to your account, go to Settings → Account → List of connected devices and log out of all unfamiliar sessions.
Reinstall Viber
- If you don’t have access, uninstall the app and reinstall it. This will automatically log you out on all devices where your account was active.
Change the password to related services
- If your Viber is linked to your email or Facebook, change the passwords of these accounts to prevent fraudsters from gaining access to additional information.
Activate a new account on your number
Reinstall Viber and confirm your identity with an SMS code. This will automatically deactivate the account on all other devices.
If you suspect that your number has been used by fraudsters, contact Viber support.
Follow us on Telegram: the main news in a nutshell
