scam seems to have no end. If you use WhatsApp daily, pay close attention, because a new modality has emerged scam that uses one of the most useful features of the application to empty your bank accounts and steal your personal information: the “screen sharing” scam.
This method is especially dangerous because It does not depend on a virus or a technical failure, but on psychological manipulation, a technique known as social engineering.. Scammers involve you in a situation of panic or urgency so that, without thinking twice, you hand over control of your device to them. The situation is so alarming that in August 2025 alone, Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, reported that it removed more than 6.8 million accounts of the platform for being linked to deception centers and criminal schemes.
What is the screen sharing scam?
The core of this deception is simple but effective: The criminals want the victim to share their mobile screen during a WhatsApp video call. By doing so, they can see in real time everything the person does on their device: from reading messages and notifications to watching them enter passwords in banking applications.
To achieve this, they combine three key elements:
- A video call that seeks to build trust: The scammer pretends to be someone trustworthy.
- A sense of urgency that provokes fear: They create a fictitious problem that needs an immediate solution.
- The screen sharing function: The tool that gives them visual access to all your sensitive information.
Criminals exploit the victim’s fear or curiosity, causing them to act impulsively. Once you share your screen, it’s like you have the scammer looking over your shoulder, ready to capture every piece of information that appears on your phone.
The step by step of deception: This is how scammers operate
So that you are not taken by surprise, it is essential to know the modus operandi of these criminals. The cybersecurity company ESET has analyzed and broken down the scam into five very clear steps:
- The initial call: It all starts with a video call from an unknown number. The scammer presents himself as a representative of your bank, a Meta/WhatsApp support technician, an employee of a service company, or even a family member in need. To lend credibility, they use phone numbers that look local or official, although the video call image is often blurry or completely black.
- The formulation of an urgent problem: To create panic, they inform you about an alleged serious problem: an unauthorized charge on your credit card, a suspicious login to one of your accounts, a prize that you are about to lose if you don’t verify it, or the imminent blocking of your WhatsApp account.
- The Screen Sharing Request: Here comes the hook. With the excuse of helping you solve the “problem”, the scammer guides you to activate the “screen sharing” during the video call. In some cases, they may even ask you to install remote access applications such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer, arguing that it is necessary for technical support.
- Access to your codes and data: Once the screen is shared, the criminal sees everything. At that point, force the sending of a WhatsApp security code, which appears as a notification at the top of your screen. When he sees it, he uses it to steal your account. Additionally, they will ask you to open your banking application to “verify” something, so they can see your username, password, and any security code you enter.
- Theft of accounts and money: With all your information in their possession, the final step is theft. They transfer money from your accounts, take full control of your WhatsApp to scam your contacts asking for money in your name, and access other services associated with your number.
In a digital world where threats are constantly evolving, technology alone is not enough to protect us. The “screen sharing” scam shows that the most vulnerable link continues to be the human factor. This is not a failure in the WhatsApp system, but rather a trap that exploits our trust and fears. The best defense is not in an antivirus, but in a combination of knowledge, skepticism and safe habits.
When faced with an unusual request, the best response is always the simplest: distrust, verify and protect your information. At the end of the day, the security of your digital life is literally in your hands.
Keep reading:
• New scam on WhatsApp: a simple call could steal your passwords and your money
• ESET discovers a new scam on WhatsApp: this is how they deceive you with a false job offer
• A scammer tricked us through Facebook Marketplace and broke into our house