What you can do about the annoying WhatsApp calls from unknown international numbers

What are these calls about?

WhatsApp, which boasts over two billion monthly active users, has often fallen prey to cyber-attacks by malicious actors. Cases where users are swindled by scammers under the pretext of offering jobs or loans are commonplace. However, these calls do not appear to be geared towards stealing anyone’s data.

The origin of these calls appears to be from various countries, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Ethiopia and Kenya, based on the international codes. The purpose of these calls remains unclear. Some WhatsApp users have reported getting such calls as frequently as four times a day. A common pattern observed was that new SIM card owners received the most number of such calls.

What to do when you get such calls?

WhatsApp has issued a statement saying that there’s no need to panic, encouraging users to simply report and block such callers. You can do so directly from the entry for the number in the call log. WhatsApp also encourages users to report these numbers so that they can take the required action against them and ban them from the platform.

While suspicious links and messages from these numbers are yet to be reported, it’s important to exercise caution and not open these links as they may be designed to steal your data.

Aside from this, the messaging platform reminds users of the privacy settings that WhatsApp comes with. You can choose to hide your personal details like Profile Photo, Last Seen, Online status, About, and Status if you are concerned about your privacy, reducing your online presence. Keeping your personal details visible to only your contacts can help safeguard your account against bad actors. For more details on these features, head here.

“We apply spam detection technology to spot and take action on accounts engaging in abnormal behaviour to stop spam. Additionally, we have built specific India-processes that help to prevent abuse on WhatsApp in India,” adds the messaging platform.

WhatsApp also has a grievance officer based in India, who can be contacted if a user has a concern and cannot report it through other channels.