I don't have specific insight into WhatsApp but I agree with some other commenters here that changing your profile picture and having a link in the text definit

I don't have specific insight into WhatsApp but I agree with some other commenters here that changing your profile picture and having a link in the text definitely fits the pattern of a phishing attempt. It was probably auto-detected. Sorry you got caught up in that! I know it is fun to have conspiracy theories but I assure you it is much more boring than that :)