Crazy bullshit
WhatsApp offers a premium version of its app called "WhatsApp Gold."
Spread on: Facebook posts and message forwards, June 2026 (on and off for nearly a decade)
The real story
There is no premium WhatsApp Gold. Messages pushing the 'upgrade' are a scam that has been tricking people for nearly a decade. The warning often shared alongside it, about a phone-hacking video called 'Martinelli', is a hoax: that video does not exist.
The fact-checker's verdict: “Scam”. Our label never goes further than theirs.
How to spot it
Only install apps from your phone's official app store, and ignore forwarded 'upgrade' links.
The receipts
'WhatsApp Gold' is real scam, but 'Martinelli' video allegedly spreading hoax doesn't exist ↗
Snopes · 2026-06-13
