New WhatsApp scam on LMSs

A new WhatsApp scam is running rife on online course platforms. Here's one of my experiences.

2–3 minutes

The web offers many reasons to celebrate:

Meeting interesting people
Distance learning possibilities
Free educational resources
Online shopping
Etc

But, as elsewhere, the Web also attracts its share of thieves, swindlers and other con artists.

There are few places where you'll find such promises as on the Web:

immediate wealth:
the meeting of your life
or the practically free car.

New WhatsApp scam targets LMSs

I appreciate training via WhatsApp, and in the past reported in this article. I guess I'm not the only one, as some crooks are now offering training courses via WhatsApp on platforms that don't belong to them.

I've had the experience sur FutureLearnan online course platform that I use regularly. I particularly enjoy talking to other learners in the comments. And that's exactly where the scammers place their hooks.

As can be seen here, teachers and presenters also respond to comments from participants.

All the scammers have to do is pretend to be in-house instructors and invite you to take a WhatsApp course.

In fact, they have nothing to do with FutureLearn and some of them don't offer you online or smartphone courses, but try to steal your private data, such as bank details.

How do you spot them?

Unlike the real FutureLearn facilitators, their role (in this case, "Lead Educator") appears in a box next to their name. The hustlers' roles are not. I almost fell into the trap.

Report new WhatsApp scam to stop it

How do you stop this new WhatsApp scam? By reporting it.

Under each comment, on the right-hand side, is a small flag. Simply click on this flag to report a suspicious comment.

It will be examined by the FutureLearn teams. They will send you a message informing you of their action.

And if it's a scam, as in my case, the comment will be deleted.

Don't let online training be sabotaged

Stay alert!

Don't give in to the temptation to sign up for any offer that wasn't described in the course description by the platform manager.

If in doubt, contact your course manager.

Otherwise, report the comment as false, impersonated, etc.

If you've ever witnessed or fallen victim to this type of scam, let us know in the comments section.

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