Edinburgh crime: Fresh warning to public as police receive more reports of WhatsApp scam

Police have released a fresh warning to the Edinburgh public after receiving more fake WhatsApp messages.

People have reported receiving messages over WhatsApp from numbers claiming to be a relative, and requesting money to be sent to them.

The message states that the ‘relative’ has lost their phone and have a new number.

Police Scotland are asking people to stop and think before they respond, and ask themselves does the request make sense?

People are encouraged to call the friend or family member directly to confirm that it’s them.

New research from WhatsApp shows that 59% of people in the UK say they have received, or know someone who has received, a messaged based scam in the last year.

Website Friends Against Scams adds: “Whilst 17% chose to ignore the message, 4% replied to the message via the same messaging service, 3% called them for clarification and 2% made the payment.”

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