Will Cathcart warns of fake WhatsApp, says never download

WhatsApp’s growing popularity has made it a hotbed for cyber criminals who are tricking users into using fake versions of the app riddled with malware. Users have been warned of fake WhatsApp apps circulating on the internet. Will Cathcart, Head of WhatsApp at Meta, has shared a warning against these fake WhatsApp versions that may not look suspicious but can cause severe damage to your Phone’s data. He shared about a hidden malware found within these modified versions of WhatsApp by the security team via a series of tweets.

He tweeted, “Recently our security team discovered hidden malware within apps – offered outside of Google Play - from a developer called “HeyMods” that included "Hey WhatsApp" and others.”

He explained how these fake apps promised new features to lure users and steal personal information stored on their phones.

Cathcart further informed that details about these malicious apps have already been shared with Google to remove them from the ecosystem. And Google Play Protect on Android will now detect and disable previously downloaded malicious fake versions of the instant messaging app.

He further shared that WhatsApp is also taking enforcement action against HeyMods and may take some legal action to hold such developers accountable.

Meanwhile, he asked users to download it from the trusted app stores like Google Play Store or App Store or install it directly from Whatsapp’s official website in order to protect themselves from any malware attacks. He wrote, “If you see friends or family using a different form of WhatsApp please encourage them to only use WhatsApp from a trusted app store or our official website directly at http://WhatsApp.com/dl.”

Do note that the modified or fake versions of WhatsApp may seem to have similar features as WhatsApp but there’s no end-to-end encryption feature that you get with the original version of the messaging app.