A Cuban man living in Tampa, known on TikTok as @rick_roxy, has issued a warning after experiencing a personal scam attempt via WhatsApp. Scammers pretended to be his mother to try to extract money from him.
The incident unfolded when he received a message that appeared to be from his mother, requesting $500 to be sent to a specific number, with the promise that it would be returned later that day. Sensing something was off due to the wording of the message, he decided to directly contact his mother to verify the authenticity of the request.
Upon calling, he received a video call showing his mother holding a phone against a red background. Although the video seemed genuine, the voice was distorted and choppy, raising his suspicions even further. The message persisted, saying, "I'm out, and the connection is bad, send the money to this number."
He eventually reached his mother through a regular phone call and confirmed she had not asked for money nor contacted him. This experience prompted him to warn others about such scams and the dangers of falling for WhatsApp frauds.
Protect Yourself from WhatsApp Scams
"Be extremely careful with WhatsApp; they are hacking in incredible ways. Do not give codes to anyone," he advised in his video, aiming to alert other Cubans to stay vigilant against these scams.
This type of fraud, where scammers impersonate a close acquaintance to request money transfers, has become increasingly common on instant messaging platforms. Experts advise against sharing verification codes and suggest always confirming the identity of someone asking for financial help before making any money transfers.