Satanic agents on WhatsApp looking for blood – hoax

A bizarre rumour is spreading across social media warning readers against receiving messages against a specific number or person on messaging app WhatsApp, since that person is actually a “satanic agent looking for blood”.

Many variants of the warning also claimed a number of people died after receiving calls from this number.

An example of the warning that spread in 2016 can be seen below –

There is a number starting with 079916 on whatsapp, with a picture of a fair guy. Please do not respond to his messages but block the numberAsap.He is a satanic agent looking for blood through internet. His name is Steve Anderson.Some people are dead already so don’t be a victim. Share with everyone u know and’ save souls 0799160859: the number is taking over now, 11 people died this morning in Orangefarm ext4,Johannesburg after receiving a call from this number. 0799160859 please be careful and watchout.Send this number to all your friends and family members in actual fact foward this message to all the people you love and people you don’t want to lose and don’t forget to remained them not to answer the phone call from the number above. It’s URGENT: Tell all contacts from your list . Beware it is very dangerous.As it was announced today on the radio. Pass on to as many as you can“`*

It is unclear from the warning exactly how the people getting these ‘dangerous’ WhatsApp messages or calls are actually dying. Oddly enough, given the reference to Satan, it is likely that the author of the warning is attempting to lure readers into believing that some kind of evil power – transferred through mobile message apps – may be to blame. I.e. you merely have to accept a message or call from the person mentioned in the warning to put yourself at risk.

This is – of course – utterly absurd, yet many people have taken to sharing the bizarre warning regardless.

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Well worry not, since these warnings contain all the classic hallmarks of a nonsense urban legend that has taken life across social media. One such hallmark is that there are many different variants of the rumour that exist. While the one above mentioned “Steve Anderson”, others are spreading that replace that name with “Nat” (below) and others simply don’t mention a name, simply opting for “a killer”.

There is a number starting with +233 on whats app, with the picture of a young guy with his friend in a partially dark place. Please do not respond to his msg but! block the number Asap. He is a satanic agent looking for blood through internet. Hid name is Nat .Some people are dead already so don’t be a victim. Share with everyone u know and’ save souls +233 544971115 : the number is taking over now, 11 people died this morning in Swedru after receiving a call from this number. +233 544971115 and please i beg u,, send this number to all your family members leave then to all people u love or people u don’t want to lose and tell them not to answer any call from dis number. It’s URGENT: Tell all contacts from your list . Beware it is very dangerous. They announced it today on the radio. Pass on to as many as you can

As you can see from the above example, it’s not only the name, but the number and location that also has been replaced. Instead of Johannesburg, this one claims people have died in Swedru in Ghana.

Another hallmark of an urban legend is that none of these warnings come with any reputable source for their claims – for example such as media coverage or a police appeal. Readers are supposed to take the word of the author.

This isn’t the first time that people have been warning of receiving phantom calls or messages for risk of death. Back in 2009, a warning actually fooled many Egyptian press outlets that a “special” SMS “containing a special combination of numbers” was killing people who received it. That rumour had to later be debunked by Egypt’s Health and Interior Ministries.

The rumour is nonsense scaremongering, and as such it should not be circulated.