Viber experts have detected a new scam scheme: fraudsters pose as other well-known services to gain access to a user’s account. The team reminds users how to avoid falling into scammers’ traps.
In 2023-2024, Rakuten Viber blocked approximately 40,000 fraudsters and spammers on its platform. Thanks to constant monitoring and user reports, the number of fraudulent accounts has decreased. However, cybercriminals continue to adapt their methods to hack user accounts, reports 24 Kanal.
How the scam works
The scheme involves scammers sending messages or calling, pretending to be employees of well-known services or companies, such as banks, mobile operators, or online classifieds platforms.
Then, the scammers ask the user to "enter the SMS code" under the guise of verifying registration, confirming an account, or activating a new mobile tariff plan.
Unknown to the user, this SMS code is needed to activate a Viber account on a new device. If the user shares the code, the scammer gains control over their Viber account.
Recent wave of scams related to OLX
In the fall of 2024, scammers often made their messages appear as if they were from the popular online platform OLX. Users who recently posted ads on the platform received direct messages with the proposal to continue the dialogue on Viber or to send photos of specified goods.
After this, users received a message with a code, supposedly from OLX, via Viber or SMS. Providing this code gives scammers access to the user’s Viber account.
How to protect yourself
Rakuten Viber reminds users of the following key actions to avoid scams:
Never share activation codes and passwords with anyone. Block and report suspicious messages. If you receive a message from someone not in your contact list and suspect fraud, press "Block and report spam" in Viber. Report suspicious activity to Viber support via the official support page. Limit messages and calls from unknown contacts. Open the privacy settings in the app by going to Settings → Privacy → Requests. Here you can limit messages and calls from unknown users. Enable automatic spam check. Find this feature in Settings → Privacy → Automatic spam check. Use caller ID (for Android users). Activate this option in Settings → Calls and messages → Caller ID. This feature will mark potential spam calls accordingly.By following these recommendations, users can protect their Viber accounts from fraudulent actions and avoid new scam schemes.