New ‘Momo’ suicide WhatsApp challenge worries parents

Parents around the globe have been warned about a disturbing new challenge called Momo making the rounds on WhatsApp, repots Centurion Rekord.

The game, or challenge, urges children to add a mysterious phone number to their WhatsApp contacts. The number then sends them violent images and orders them to follow grotesque orders, often involving posting images and videos of self-harm or suicide.

ALSO READ: Protect your children from the Blue Whale online suicide game

The Momo game “controller” claims to know personal information about the player and threatens them if they don’t follow orders.

Argentinian officials are currently investigating the identity of the mysterious “controller”. According to international reports, the number is associated with an 18-year-old.

The shocking game is said to be spreading quickly.

Momo can be compared to a previous challenge named “Blue Whale”, which was blamed for a number of deaths in Russia and the US. Also similar is “Slender Man”, a fictional character said to have influenced two 12-year-old American girls in trying to kill a classmate.

No reports of the Momo suicide challenge have been reported in South Africa thus far.

WhatsApp has not yet commented on the Momo challenge.

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