Reporting a Suspicious WhatsApp Message at Work
Got a strange WhatsApp message about work, a payment or a colleague? What to send your manager or security team, what to include, and what not to do.
WhatsApp scams aimed at businesses often land on one person's phone: a fake boss, a supplier's new bank details, a colleague asking for a code. Reporting quickly lets the business warn others and stop payments.
What to send
- A screenshot of the message showing the number and profile.
- When it arrived.
- What it asked for: payment, code, file, bank change.
- What you did: ignored, replied, clicked, paid or shared something.
Who to send it to
Your security or IT team, or the named person your organisation has agreed. If there is no one, tell your manager and whoever handles payments.
What not to do
- Do not forward the message to the whole team; let the responsible person send a clear warning.
- Do not keep chatting with the sender to "investigate".
- Do not wait to see if it was real.
Reporting fast beats never clicking. See why reporting quickly matters.
After reporting
- Block and report the number in WhatsApp. See blocking and reporting.
- If money moved, the business should call its bank at once.
- If a colleague's account seems hacked, see when an employee's WhatsApp is hacked.
Want a quick second opinion? Paste the message into CyberWatch AI Scan.
For more, see our guide to WhatsApp scams.
Frequently asked questions
Should I forward the message to colleagues to warn them?
Send it to the person responsible for security, not to everyone. Let them issue a clear warning so links are not spread further.
What if I already replied or paid?
Report it anyway, straight away, and say exactly what you did. Speed matters more than anything else.
My workplace has no security team. Who do I tell?
Your manager or the person who handles IT or finance. Agree one named person for these reports.
Sources
- Phishing attacks: defending your organisation, UK National Cyber Security Centre
- Recognize and Report Phishing, US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
- How to block and report someone, WhatsApp Help Center
