WhatsApp (malware?) spamming into iMessage text conversations

[Solomani]

In the last 2 days, random friends and family members are suddenly (through their iPhone/iMessage account) sending me WhatsApp advertising. As if they are telling me to download that app. And these are OLD (geriatric) family members who wouldn't know how to spam ads if it meant getting paid $5000 to do it.

So I am led to believe that something in their iPhones (malware?) is automatically spamming texts to their contacts (like myself) so that a Download WhatsApp Today! ad is shoved into my iMessage feeds.

Below is a screenshot taken from iMessage:

 

[C DM]

Perhaps they are sharing something from some other app like Facebook or something like that?

 

[Solomani]

Perhaps they are sharing something from some other app like Facebook or something like that?

Possibly. But I asked them, and they don't recall intentionally sending out the WhatsApp-related solicitation text/spam. And so Im thinking that something triggered in sending the message to me (and others). Maybe it's something in the Advertising Setting of their WhatsApp or FB account?