WhatsApp Channels: Fake Channels and Misleading Updates
WhatsApp Channels let anyone broadcast updates, including scammers posing as brands, celebrities and news outlets. How to spot fake channels and handle links in updates.
Channels are one-way broadcasts on WhatsApp, found in the Updates tab. Brands, news outlets, public figures and ordinary people use them. Anyone can create one, so fake channels imitating well-known names appear alongside real ones.
Common channel scams
- Impersonation channels using a brand's or celebrity's name and logo to push giveaways or investments.
- Trading and betting "tips" leading to paid groups or platforms. See trading signal groups.
- Job and task offers with links to "register". See job offer scams.
- Misleading news designed to spread and drive clicks. See misinformation on WhatsApp.
How to check a channel
- Look for the verified badge, but do not rely on it alone.
- Find the channel link on the organisation's official website or app.
- Check the follower count and history: a brand-new channel claiming to be a major company is suspicious.
- Treat every link in an update with care. See checking a WhatsApp link.
Following a channel does not reveal your phone number to its admins or other followers, but responding to its links or contact details can.
What to do with a fake channel
- Report it: open the channel, tap its name, Report channel.
- Unfollow it.
- If it impersonates your business, see when scammers impersonate your business.
For more, see our guide to WhatsApp scams.
Frequently asked questions
Can a channel see my phone number?
WhatsApp says followers' phone numbers are not shown to channel admins or other followers.
How do I know a channel is official?
Look for a verified badge, and find the channel through the organisation's official website or app rather than a forwarded link.
How do I report a channel?
Open the channel, tap its name, and choose Report channel.
Sources
- About WhatsApp Channels, WhatsApp Help Center
- About safety and privacy on channels, WhatsApp Help Center
- About suspicious messages and scams, WhatsApp Help Center
