Hello

Long time lurker, first time poster etc etc…

Interested what you guys make of these WhatsApp messages I just received…

…I have no such booking…

Obviously this sort of scam/phishing nonsense is nothing new to me, but a few things stood out…

  • They have my full name and phone number 😕
  • I do use booking.com (but I suppose many do so they could assume…)
  • This WhatsApp message has been marked as “using a secure service from Meta”… So this isn’t just a random phone (I have anonymous messages blocked) they have some sort of privilege on the platform… WTF
  • They even have some special reply buttons at the end of the message.
  • I just don’t get it… Like, what are the odds they guess the dates and hotel accurately that I would bite…? And having gone to this length, why then fall at the last hurdle by having a weird sender name like “Rus Education”…?
    • FBJimmy@lemmus.orgOPEnglish
      2·
      10 hours ago

      Unfortunately, I just don’t have the social capital to move people off of Meta messaging services… A good 50% of my friends have ditched FB, but somehow saw WhatsApp as the solution 🤦

  • jordanlund@lemmy.world
    41·
    11 hours ago

    All the message means is that whoever it is is using a business account.

    https://faq.whatsapp.com/64346092728323

    "You’ll see the following messages, when a business chooses to:

    Use a partner: You’ll see “This business works with other companies to manage this chat.”

    Use the WhatsApp Business Platform Cloud API (Hosted by Meta): You’ll see “This business uses a secure service from Meta to manage this chat.”

    If a business is using the WhatsApp Business app or managing and storing customer messages themselves, you’ll see: “Messages and calls are end-to-encrypted. Only people in this chat can read, listen to, or share them.”"

    So, hypothetically, if I were running a scam, yeah, I’d set up a business account using the Platform Cloud API to get that sweet, sweet “secure service” note.

    • FBJimmy@lemmus.orgOPEnglish
      1·
      10 hours ago

      I get that, and it was almost certainly Booking.com who leaked it as I have had shady messages through even their own messaging platform before…

      I think what baffles me is that this gets so close to convincing (if you’re not internet savvy), and then they throw in something so bizarre like having a username of “Rus Education” 🙄