A new WhatsApp scam is doing the rounds which tries to trick parents into giving away their details in exchange for five passes to Paultons theme park - home of Peppa Pig World .
The Hampshire attraction, which is rated the UK's top theme park on Trip Advisor, has sent out a warning to families about the scam via their Twitter page.
"We have been advised that a message offering 5 free passes to 500 families to Paultons is being shared on WhatsApp," the post read.
"Please note this is not a genuine offer and is not associated with Paultons Park. We advise that you do not click the link or share the message."
Five passes would be worth £166.25 if bought on the day.
WhatsApp scams are increasingly common - with messages arriving on your phone looking like they've come from a friend, family member or colleague, reports MirrorOnline.
But Action Fraud warns if you click on the URL you are taken to a fake website designed to trick you into handing over personal information.
Worse, once you click fraudsters can also collect personal information from your device by installing cookies on your phone that track you, or add browser extensions that can be used to show you advertisements.
Earlier this year ActionFraud also warned that fraudsters were tricking WhatsApp users into downloading a fake version of “WhatsApp Gold” which infected Android devices with malware.
How to protect yourself
Action Fraud has the following tips for staying safe from WhatsApp scams:
- Install security software on your device and keep it up to date.
- Never click on unsolicited links in messages that you that receive, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact.
- Follow WhatsApp’s advice for staying safe whilst using the messaging service.
To report a fraud and cyber crime and receive a police crime reference number, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online fraud reporting tool .
