A message warning WhatsApp users about a ‘Seismic Waves Card’ scam containing Moroccan earthquake pictures is circling – but it’s a hoax.
Users are sharing the notification on social media to make others aware, but the phishing trick doesn’t appear to be real and there’s no need to panic.
Moroccan earthquake WhatsApp scam
WhatsApp users are receiving a message from an unknown number that says:
“They are going to upload some photos of the Moroccan earthquake on WhatsApp. The file is called Seismic Waves CARD, don’t open it or see it, it will hack your phone in 10 seconds and it cannot be stopped in any way.”
At the end of the message, it tells you to “Share the information,” so people are copying the text and posting it on Twitter and Facebook.
‘Seismic Waves Card’ is fake
The message claims that a file called “Seismic Waves Card” will be sent that will attempt to hack your phone and steal your information.
However, fact checker Snopes found no evidence of any such scam circling social media and it seems to be fake news.
It appears to be copypasta, which is a block of text copied and pasted to the internet to fool others and provoke a reaction.
The text is using the earthquake in Morocco and the fear of being scammed to trick users into sharing the message on the internet.
Urgent search and rescue operations are currently underway in Morocco after a powerful earthquake struck the Al Haouz province.
More than 2,800 people were sadly killed and many more are missing after the powerful 6.8 magnitude quake struck the Atlas Mountains.
Copypasta hoaxes are rife online
Copypasta hoaxes are rife on the internet right now, the most common one fooling people into thinking Facebook is going to start charging.
“I’m Opting Out too! So now they are doing it, just announced on Channel 4 News. Facebook is charging all users starting Monday,” one says before telling users to opt-out by reposting this message:
“I do not give permission for Facebook to charge $4.99 a month to my account, also; all my pictures are my property of mine and NOT Facebook’s!”
Another one circling the US says: “Opting Out! Facebook is charging all users starting Monday. You can opt out by this. Hold your finger over this message and copy.”
However, Facebook has no plans to make users pay to use the platform.
