We use cookies to allow us and selected partners to improve your experience and our advertising. By continuing to browse you consent to our use of cookies. You can understand more and change your cookies preferences here.
When you click on a retailer link on our site, we may earn affiliate commission to help fund our not-for-profit mission.Find out more.
JD Sports is the latest brand name being used by scammers on the messaging app WhatsApp to lure people into clicking on a link then stealing their data, Which? has found.
The message promises a £215 voucher to the popular retailer in celebration of their 50th birthday - the chain was actually founded 37 years ago.
Which? has contacted JD Sports and informed them of the scam.
Read more: How to spot a messaging scam
The message is designed to entice you to click on the link, whichtakes you to a site aimed at infecting your device with malware and stealing your personal data.
Malware is any type of software designed to intentionally damage a computer - whether to do harm to the computer itself or to harvest your data. It's often also called spyware, Trojan or a virus.
The sites linked to from WhatsApp messaging scams also often ask people to enter personal details to send the bogus gift voucher to.
Scammers with this personal information can then add you to a 'sucker list' to be re-targeted for other scams which might see you lose your savings.
So, if you've become a victim of this kind of messaging scam stay vigilant to other scam attempts.
Which? can also help you decide which type of mobile security softwareis best for your phone and whether you need it.
The messaging scam is almost identical toa spate of scam messages we saw earlier this year, pretending to be discounts from big-name retailers such as Costa Coffee, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.
Read more: Which? warns of Costa Coffee messaging scam
If you're sent the JD Sports scam WhatsApp message, you shouldn't follow any links or reply - if you respond you could alert the fraudsters to the fact your number is active and in-use.
If you think you've been targeted by a scam message you should:
You should also contact the organisation the scammer is pretending to be from so they can investigate it.
Read more:How to avoid messaging scams
Earlier this year, our research found one in three people had been sent a fraudulent text in the previous six months.
The most common message was from criminals pretending to be from the HMRC stating the target was due a sizeable tax refund.
Read more: Which? finds one in three people have been sent a messaging scam
Other common scam messages included:
If you think you've been sent a scam, whether it's in the post, in an email or in a message, you should always report it.
Read more:How to get your money back a scamand how to report a scam.