Mail: "Free use of your account will expire in 48 hours" - What to do?

Did you receive an email from Whatsapp stating that free use of your account will expire in 48 hours? Then you are probably wondering whether it is a spam email. We clarify it.

Spam Whatsapp Mail: What you shouldn't do under any circumstances

The scare is big: your Whatsapp account should have expired in 48 hours. But it's not a Whatsapp email, it's a spam message. It is best to move the mail to the spam folder immediately. The main thing is that you do not click on the link provided and do not pass on any credit card information.

• The mail contains the link "Renew your account!". Click on this, you will get to the address "ow.ly/IiRX308bv4P" and you will be redirected to "www.akustiksegel.se/images/stories/index3.php" or "www.helika.ee/xmlrpc/whatsap2017". None of this has anything to do with Whatsapp.
• The redirect leads to a page that offers you WhatsApp Messenger for 1, 2 or 3 years - with costs! If you clicked the link, do not enter any credit card details here and do not select anything. Whatsapp is and remains a free service.
• If you gave your credit card and click on "Continue", the next window would ask for your passwords, such as the "Verified by VISA password" or the "MasterCard SecureCode". With this information, criminals can abuse your credit card. The whole thing only serves to get your credit card information.

Spam Whatsapp Mail: Under no circumstances react

Conclusion: The mail comes from criminals and acts as a nasty trick to clear your account. Don't click the link and block the contact.

• In general, you should never open suspicious emails with shock headings. They often contain harmful malware. We will show you how to recognize spam mails in another article.

Another practical tip will give you tips on how to get rid of spam mails.