Invite to Activate Free WhatsApp Without Internet: Scam

Story:

Hey, I am inviting you to activate ?? WhatsApp without Internet. Click here to activate –> http://www.WhatsAppForFree.com.

Other Versions

Internet Free WhatsApp Activation. FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTIONS BELOW! Step 1: Enter your WhatsApp Mobile Number! Step 2: Click on I AGREE! Continue

Analysis:

A story doing rounds on WhatsApp comes as an invite to activate free WhatsApp messaging service without internet by simply following a link in the message. The story is yet another internet hoax and a scam!

The Claims

We have seen people who followed the link WhatsAppForFree.com were asked to enter their WhatsApp mobile phone number, click on “I Agree” button and at the next step were compelled to invite 10 friends on WhatsApp to activate the ‘internet free WhatsApp service’. Strangely, the website even accepted a non-numerical text entered in the mobile number field before moving on asking to invite 10 friends. And what is said in the story is not a fact. When we visited the URL WhatsAppForFree.com, we were redirected to IP address http://128.199.244.171, with the below warning messages in Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browsers (Screenshots below):

Google Chrome

Phishing attack ahead

Attackers on 128.199.244.171 might try to trick you to steal your information (for example, passwords, messages, or credit cards).

Screenshot of malware warning on Browser

Mozilla Firefox

Reported Web Forgery!

This web page at 128.199.244.171 has been reported as a web forgery and has been blocked based on your security preferences.

Web forgeries are designed to trick you into revealing personal or financial information by imitating sources you may trust.

Entering any information on this web page may result in identity theft or other fraud.

Domain Name Information

In the domain name information of WhatsAppForFree.com, the Registrant Name and Tech Name is shown as ‘Registration Private’ and the Registrant Country as United States. However, virustotal.com reports the website as Autonomous System based in Country SG (Singapore). More importantly, there are few other URLs hosted in the IP address 128.199.244.171, some of which when visited warn that the sites ahead contain malware. All this concludes to saying the story in question is a Scam in the name of free WhatsApp service without internet.

Similar Websites

Note that there are few other websites coming with similar claims of providing internet free WhatsApp service, registerwhatsapp.blogspot.in being one such:

Register Your Whatsapp For Free !!!

Don’t have to pay $0.99.. Its free for lifetime…
” http://registerwhatsapp.blogspot.in/ “
You have to broadcast this link to your whatsapp contacts or post it on Facebook status.
We take 1-2 days to complete your Registration.. Please have patience

The blog asks to give your Name, Mobile Number and City and register for WhatsApp service free for lifetime. The blogger even used a YouTube video (listed in ‘Comedy’ section) describing the process of activation. The story that also asks the user to broadcast the link on WhatsApp and Facebook before the ‘free registration’ is again a hoax, and perhaps a scam intended to steal contact information of unsuspecting users.

WhatsApp is the largest messaging app with hundreds and millions of active users around the world, so scammers often come up with such means to mislead users, in order to obtain their personal information and sometimes to install and spread malware as well. Beware of messages coming with such claims, do not spread them.