Scammers are targeting WhatsApp users by pretending to be an official communication source for WhatsApp technical team and asking for user’s verification codes.

In a new scam targeting users of the Facebook-owned messaging app, scammers are trying to fraud users into thinking that they are from the WhatsApp technical team asking users for their verification codes.

Verification codes are used to activate a user’s WhatsApp account on a new device. The code is meant to confirm that it is the user who has asked to log in to a new device and thus protect their accounts from bad actors.

The scam was reported by WABetaInfo who debunked a text message on WhatsApp asking a user for their verification code.

This was in response to a tweet by Twitter user Dario Navarro who had shared the screenshot of the message in Spanish asking the user to share the six-digit verification code that they must have received through SMS, Gadgets360 reported. The message seemed to have come from a account using WhatsApp’s official logo as their profile picture.

“This is #FAKE. WhatsApp doesn't message you on WhatsApp, and if they do (for global announcements, but it's soooo rare), a green verified indicator is visible.WhatsApp never asks your data or verification codes,” WABetaInfo had tweeted.

WhatsApp on its website has warned users against sharing their code with others.

“You should never share your WhatsApp verification code with others. If someone is trying to take over your account, they need the SMS verification code sent to your phone number to do so. Without this code, any user attempting to verify your number can’t complete the verification process and use your phone number on WhatsApp. This means you remain in control of your WhatsApp account,” reads the platform’s website.