Your WhatsApp profile photo becomes the subject of a new scam. There is a simple way to protect yourself.
WhatsApp has become a leading messaging app around the world, with over 2 billion monthly active users, making it one of the most popular communications platforms. One of the most personal features of WhatsApp is the ability to put a profile photo, which helps users recognize each other more easily and personalize their messaging experience. The profile picture on WhatsApp, although it seems to be a minor detail, plays a crucial role on the application. Not only does it allow friends and family to quickly identify you, but it also often serves as the first point of contact in new professional or personal connections.
However, this feature can also pose risks. Recently, police arrested an individual in the Netherlands on suspicion of using an automated system to collect profile photos on WhatsApp and create lists of phone numbers categorized by gender and age, with the aim of reselling them. This information can be used to perpetrate fraud, including posing as someone close to the victim in order to extort money.
The revelation of these practices highlights the importance of securing your profile photo to protect yourself against such threats. Fortunately, WhatsApp offers privacy settings that allow users to protect their personal information. The profile photo privacy feature is particularly relevant in this context. So how to secure your profile photo on WhatsApp? To protect your profile picture, start by opening WhatsApp and go to “Settings” by clicking on the three vertical dots located in the upper right corner of the application. Once in settings, select “Account”, then “Privacy”. Here you will find several options for adjusting who can see your personal information, including your profile picture.
The “Profile Photo” option allows you to choose who can see your image: ‘Everyone’, ‘My Contacts’ or ‘Nobody’. For maximum security, it is advisable to choose the ‘My Contacts’ option, which limits access to your profile picture only to the people you have saved in your phone book. A recent survey found that almost half of WhatsApp users had not protected their profile picture, potentially leaving personal information open to malicious people. By adjusting your privacy settings, you can take a proactive step to protect your digital identity on WhatsApp and reduce the risk of becoming a target for fraud.