India, Dec. 20 -- A new and highly deceptive WhatsApp scam is catching users off guard by exploiting a feature many barely think about: device linking. Dubbed GhostPairing by cybersecurity researchers, the scam allows attackers to quietly take control of a victim's WhatsApp account without hacking passwords, stealing SIM cards, or intercepting OTPs.

Instead of breaking WhatsApp's security, GhostPairing relies entirely on social engineering. Victims are tricked into approving the attacker's device themselves, making the attack both effective and difficult to detect.

The scam usually begins with a message that appears to come from a trusted contact. It could say something harmless like, "Hey, is this you in this photo?" or "I just found y...