Our world has started to revolve around social media, especially WhatsApp. Its features help us stay connected with our friends and family and make payments. However, the number of cyber scams in India grows with people’s dependency on social media. It is difficult for authorities to stop these crime rates because whenever a crime is caught, scammers come up with some new way to do it.
Updated October 2026. Added WhatsApp’s screen-sharing warning for unknown contacts and India’s official helpline and portal for reporting cyber fraud, and clarified the safety tips. This is general safety information, not legal or financial advice.
Most cyber frauds happen when people share their OTP (one-time password), which can then be used for money transfers. A growing scam on WhatsApp abuses the screen-sharing feature in video calls. The scammers pose as bank staff, help-desk agents or other officials, create a sense of urgency or offer help with a phone-related issue, and then ask the victim to share their screen. Once the screen is shared, they can see everything that appears on it, including OTPs and verification codes. Many innocent users have become victims and faced financial loss.
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When the user starts sharing their screen, they unknowingly show the scammers information such as OTPs, bank account details and social media logins. The most surprising part of this trick is that the victim does not have to type or say any of this information: tapping the screen-share button is enough. While it seems like a normal offer of assistance, it lets scammers carry out many illegal activities.
WhatsApp has responded to this tactic. In October 2025, Meta said WhatsApp would start showing a warning when you try to share your screen with an unknown contact during a video call, because scammers may pressure targets to share their screen to obtain bank details or verification codes. If you see this warning, stop and end the call.
How to avoid being scammed?
- Do not answer voice or video calls from unknown numbers on WhatsApp. Check the caller’s identity before answering the call.
- Never share your screen with someone you don’t know, even if they say they are from your bank, a company’s customer support or a government office.
- Never share your OTP or bank details, such as credit or debit card numbers and CVVs.
- Do not share your passwords with anyone, even if they claim to be officials.
- If you must share your screen with someone you trust, close banking apps, messages and other confidential information first, and stop sharing as soon as you are done.
What to do if you have been scammed
If you are in India and have lost money to an online fraud, report it as quickly as possible on the government’s toll-free Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930 or on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in). Also contact your bank immediately to block your cards or accounts.
