A hoax message has been rattling around popular instant messaging app WhatsApp, urging people who use the app to forward a message to all their contacts or face having their accounts deleted, Indian tech site Firstpost reports.
The viral message appears to be from the CEO of WhatsApp, one 'Jim Balsamic', and reads, "We have had an over usage of user names on whatsapp Messenger. We are requesting all users to forward this message to their entire contact list.
"If you do not forward this message," the shady message continues, "we will take it as your account is invalid and it will be deleted within the next 48 hours.
"Please DO NOT ignore this message or whatsapp will no longer recognise your activation," the fake communcation orders, warning, "If you wish to re-activate your account after it has been deleted, a charge of 25.00 will be added to your monthly bill."
The message followed a glitch that sprung up earlier this week, breaking contact statuses. WhatsApp acknowledged that issue on Twitter, and said the spam appears to be an opportunistic play on people's worries following that bug. I've reached out to WhatsApp for confirmation of the hoax, and I'll let you know if I hear anything back.
This message has surfaced before, with WhatsApp confirming on its blog that a very similar message was also spam way back in January, while the passage is also cited on debunking site Hoax-Slayer. Based on the text, the spam may have started on BlackBerry messaging service BBM -- hence Jim Balsamic, a vinegar-flavoured corruption of Jim Balsillie, former co-CEO of RIM.
Have you spied any other spam on WhatsApp? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 15
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anonymous 29 November, 2012 15:09
I keep getting a link to "competition"website when I block the number it changes numbers ...#spam attack
anonymous 29 November, 2012 18:07
speaking of spam ^
el_perro_con_gas 30 November, 2012 14:07
"I've reached out to WhatsApp for confirmation of the hoax, and I'll let you know if I hear anything back."
"I've reached out"
Could have sworn I was on cnet.co.uk
anonymous 22 February, 2013 04:16
I got one recently, reads below
? Hello, we are Andy & John, director of MSN and now also whatsapp, this message is to inform all of our users that we have only 530 accounts available for new phones, and that our servers have recently been very congested, so we asking for your help to solve this problem. We need our active users to forward this message to every single person in your contact list in order to confirm our active users that use WhatsApp, if you do not send this message to all your contacts to WhatsApp, then your account will remain inactive with the consequence of losing all your contacts. The automatic update symbol on your SmartPhone, appear with the transmission of this message. Your smartphone will be updated within 24 hours, will feature a new design, a new color for the chat and the icon will change from green to azul.Whatsapp will pay rate unless you are a frequent user. If you have at least 10 contacts send this sms and logo will become red
to indicate that you are a frequent user Tomorrow begin to take messages for whatsapp to 0.37 cents. Forward this message to more than 9 people in your contact list and you will be free lifetime blue look and the ball will make it up
As we shall see!
Confirming this is the new icon WhatsApp ? ®
Send it to all your contacts to update the application
anonymous 28 February, 2013 00:37
i also have the same message from my friend
Hello, we are Andy & John, director of MSN and now also whatsapp, this message is to inform all of our users that we have only 530 accounts available for new phones, and that our servers have recently been very congested, so we asking for your help to solve this problem. We need our active users to forward this message to every single person in your contact list in order to confirm our active users that use WhatsApp, if you do not send this message to all your contacts to WhatsApp, then your account will remain inactive with the consequence of losing all your contacts. The automatic update symbol on your SmartPhone, appear with the transmission of this message. Your smartphone will be updated within 24 hours, will feature a new design, a new color for the chat and the icon will change from green to azul.Whatsapp will pay rate unless you are a frequent user. If you have at least 10 contacts send this sms and logo will become red
to indicate that you are a frequent user Tomorrow begin to take messages for whatsapp to 0.37 cents. Forward this message to more than 9 people in your contact list and you will be free lifetime blue look and the ball will make it up
As we shall see!
Confirming this is the new icon WhatsApp ? ®
Send it to all your contacts to update the application
anonymous 17 March, 2013 15:35
Had this message on Kik.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 15:35
Had this message on Kik.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 15:35
Had this message on Kik.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 15:36
Had this message on Kik.
anonymous 18 March, 2013 22:14
Same message comes up on kik messanger 'jim balsamic' I fell for it aswell what was I thinking?!
anonymous 12 April, 2013 13:27
could there be a whatsapp virus which randomly blocks some of your contacts?
anonymous 24 April, 2013 21:58
I have had the same message on KIK Messenger!
anonymous 25 April, 2013 14:58
? Hello, we are Andy & John, director of MSN and now also whatsapp, this message is to inform all of our users that we have only 530 accounts available for new phones, and that our servers have recently been very congested, so we asking for your help to solve this problem. We need our active users to forward this message to every single person in your contact list in order to confirm our active users that use WhatsApp, if you do not send this message to all your contacts to WhatsApp, then your account will remain inactive with the consequence of losing all your contacts. The automatic update symbol on your SmartPhone, appear with the transmission of this message. Your smartphone will be updated within 24 hours, will feature a new design, a new color for the chat and the icon will change from green to azul.Whatsapp will pay rate unless you are a frequent user. If you have at least 10 contacts send this sms and logo will become red
to indicate that you are a frequent user Tomorrow begin to take messages for whatsapp to 0.37 cents. Forward this message to more than 9 people in your contact list and you will be free lifetime blue look and the ball will make it up
As we shall see!
Confirming this is the new icon WhatsApp ? ®
Send it to all your contacts to update the application
anonymous 8 May, 2013 09:10
Hi, I just received a new message that says the following: Thursday we are advised by HOTMAIL it passed on TV for Doubt!. Hello everyone, it seems that all the warnings where real, the use of Whatsapp cost money from summer 2013. If you sen dthis string to 18 different on your list, your icon will be blue, and will be free for you. If you don not believe me se tomorrow at 6pm ending Whatsapp and have to pay to open it, this is by law. This messages is to inform all of our users, our servers hae recently been very congested, so we are asking your help to solve this problem.We require our active users forwarded this message to each of the people on your contact list to confirm our active users using Whatsapp, if you do net send this message to all your contacts Whatsapp, then your account will remain inactive with the consequence of losing all their contacts, Message is from Jim Balsamic (CEO of Whatsapp)... and so it goes on for ever. Please let us know if this is also a scam again?
anonymous 16 May, 2013 14:57
yes had the message from JIM BALSAMIC --CEO OF WHATS APP.......................................