WhatsApp Scam: Fake Bank Alerts Ask Users to Reply ‘NO’

A fake debit alert designed to prompt a response

Hyderabad Police have warned people about fraudulent WhatsApp messages posing as bank debit alerts, according to India Global Review. The messages ask recipients to reply “NO” if they did not authorise a debit from their account.

Police warn that fraudsters exploit these responses to target recipients and put their money at risk. For bank customers, the immediate precaution is to verify any claimed debit independently rather than engage with the sender.

What is known—and what remains unclear

The reported approach turns concern about an unfamiliar transaction into a reason to respond: a recipient is asked to deny authorising the debit by replying to the message.

The available source summary does not explain what happens after that reply, identify a technical vulnerability or establish that sending “NO” alone authorises a payment. Although the source headline emphasises the absence of an OTP, link or call, the supplied account does not explain a mechanism by which those safeguards are bypassed.

How to protect your savings

Treat an unexpected WhatsApp debit alert as unverified. Instead of replying, open your bank’s official app yourself or check your account through its official website. If you need assistance, use a contact number printed on your bank card or listed on the bank’s official website—not one supplied in the suspicious message.

Do not share an OTP, PIN, password or card security code, and do not install an app at an unknown sender’s request. You can block and report a suspicious account within WhatsApp.

If your account shows an unauthorised transaction, contact your bank immediately. In India, financial cyberfraud can also be reported through the 1930 helpline and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in. Preserve the message and relevant transaction details for your complaint.