Beware! WhatsApp messages offering free visas and UK jobs are fake

In another phishing attempt, a WhatsApp message claiming to offer free Visa and jobs in the UK is allegedly fake and sent with the malicious intent of accessing users' banking details and other sensitive information. 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 organizing a jobs festival. The Whatsapp message urges people to apply for the 1,86,000 vacant places available.

According to a Malwarebytes report, several users have reported receiving fake messages from the UK government. Cybercriminals pose as government officials and target users willing to move to the UK in search of job opportunities. The scam messages claim that the UK government is running a recruitment drive to fill the more than 186,000 job vacancies.

When a vulnerable user, who is likely looking for a job, clicks on the fake link that accompanies the message. They take you to a domain, which is a fake UK immigration and visa website. The scam looks like this, "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."

These messages are generated to extract personal and sensitive information from users. When users are taken to the fake website, they fill in 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 UK visa, accommodation, etc., free, which is entirely fake.

So to stay safe from such scam messages is to ignore them completely. Whenever you receive messages offering unrealistic rewards, always check the source it came from. Scammers often target the people who are most likely to give their details. Most of the time, these messages are not selected correctly, are grammatically incorrect and contain special characters.