WhatsApp has issued urgent advice to users to prevent them being targeted by scammers.

A new scam, the six-digit scam, can give hackers full access to your account and private chats.

In the wake of the scam, WhatsApp has urged billions of its users to make a change to their settings that will stop the crooks targeting them.

Users are being told to make sure their profile picture is always private, this will stop strangers from being able to view the photo, or steal it to trick friends and contacts into believing they are chatting to you.

Oxford Mail:

You can make your profile picture visible to contacts only by going into Settings > Account > Privacy > Profile Picture, and then changing the setting to ‘My Contacts’.

You can read all about the six-digit scam here.

Action Fraud recommends setting up two-step verification to give an extra layer of protection to their account.

To set up two-step verification, you should go into your app and tap Settings > Account > Two-step verification > Enable.

Here are some top tips if you think you are being targeted by the scam:

  • Users should always call the person making an unusual request on WhatsApp to confirm their identity.
  • Users should never share their account's activation code.
  • Users can report spam messages or block a sender within WhatsApp by pressing and holding on the message bubble, selecting 'Report,' and following the instructions.

WhatsApp has warned its users about this scam and has advised them to be wary of any unusual messages or requests made through the app.

Users should be cautious and ensure they follow the recommended steps to protect their account.