WhatsApp chain letter: Warning of Tobias Mathis causes uncertainty

Updated January 15, 2020, 3:13 p.m.

A chain letter on WhatsApp is currently panicking many users. It warns of a contact and his call that spreads a virus. It is not the first warning of this kind that is circulating. What is behind the ominous news?

You can find more digital topics here

The name Tobias Mathis appeared in May 2017 for some WhatsApp users, Even then, news warned of the unknown: it is supposed to use Messenger to spread a virus that deletes data and contacts on the smartphone.

In a similar form, the type of chain letter already existed on Facebook years ago, at that time attention was drawn to a Ute Lehr. These messages also warned of data theft. The names have changed since then, but the content has almost always been the same.

Now the chain letter is doing the rounds again in the messenger service: As before, WhatsApp users are warned against accepting the contact “Tobias Mathis” and receiving calls from a certain number.

“Please tell everyone on your list that they shouldn’t accept Tobias Mathis,” the message begins Whatsapp, The contact “Tobias Mathis” is a hacker who uses a virus to destroy the entire hard drive and also steal data from the smartphone. It also warns that the virus will affect you if only one of your contacts is already infected. “If the number 01719626509 calls you, do not answer,” says the message.

Does the WhatsApp chain letter really pose a risk to the user?

However, if you have already received the strange message, you can take a deep breath. In fact, this is by no means a real warning, but a harmless chain letter. Loud heise.de the attack on the hard disk is fictitious.

Like among other things the Mimikama fact check portal reports, it is technically not possible to be “hacked” by simply accepting a contact and then writing to them. A virus could only get on the cell phone if someone received an infected file and opened it.

The best thing that users can do in the case of a message from “Tobias Mathis” is to ignore the message, delete it immediately and not forward it. (KAD)

Sources used:

• heise.de: chain letter undead Tobias Mathis again walks through Whatsapp
• Mimicama: Chain letter wave: WhatsApp users fear “Tobias Mathis”