Cybersafety brand Avast have uncovered a new WhatsApp scam that convinces users to give attackers access themselves.
We’re calling it a “GhostPairing” attack, here’s how it works:
- The scam starts with a message that comes from a trusted contact: “Hey, I found your photo.”
- When users tap the link, they’re shown a fake Facebook-style page that asks them to “verify” before viewing the image.
- What looks like a harmless security step is actually WhatsApp’s own device-linking flow.
By entering a legitimate pairing code, victims unknowingly add the attacker’s browser as a linked device, giving criminals ongoing access to messages, photos, and contacts, without changing a password or locking the user out of their account.
Why this matters
- No passwords are stolen: The attack uses WhatsApp exactly as designed, making it harder for users to recognise and harder to detect.
- The phone keeps working normally: Victims often don’t realise a second device is connected and watching conversations in real time.
- It spreads through trust: Compromised accounts message friends, family, and group chats, allowing the scam to snowball organically.
- It enables deeper fraud: Access to private conversations, voice notes, and photos creates opportunities for impersonation, targeted scams, and extortion.
What consumers should know right now
- Check WhatsApp → Settings → Linked Devices and remove anything unfamiliar
- Treat any request from a website to scan a WhatsApp QR code or enter a pairing code as suspicious
- Enable two-step verification and share awareness with family and group chats
Please Visit Visit for more information: www.avast.com
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