Find out what to do if your WhatsApp account is cloned by a criminal. The procedure is simple!
WhatsApp is a very popular application, which has several interesting features. Through the app, users can send messages, documents, photos, videos, make calls and even make payments. Because it is an application that contains a lot of personal and important information, unfortunately the platform becomes a target for many criminals who manage to access accounts and steal them to confuse the victims' contacts, leading them to make bank transfers.
Fortunately, WhatsApp has features that can help those who have had their account cloned. If you have been the victim of this type of scam, you can contact the platform to try to normalize the situation. In some cases, it can take a few days to recover your account. Because of this, it is important that you alert your contacts that someone is impersonating you.
Now learn about two very well-known types of WhatsApp scams and see what to do in each case.
Two common types of scams
Account cloning
Account cloning or the “new number scam” is when someone has access to your photo and contacts and creates an account to pretend to be you, confusing your friends and family and inducing them to send money for some reason, as if you were asking for it;
Account theft
Account theft occurs when someone contacts you pretending to be a company and asks for the code sent by SMS under the claim that it would be passed on to confirm a registration, however, the information is used to transfer your account from the platform to another cell phone.
In the case by WhatsApp cloned, the only steps to take are to alert your contacts about the scam and ask them to report the account stolen. With this, you can pass on the following instructions to your contacts:
– Be suspicious of “abnormal” messages;
– Be suspicious if someone with your photo sends messages from an unknown number;
– If a number with a photo of someone you know asks for money through the app, try calling or talking to the person in person to confirm the request.
How to report a fraudulent account
- On the conversation screen, click on the three dots at the top;
- Click on the “More” option and then on “Report”;
- Choose whether you want to block the contact and delete the conversation – this option is enabled by default. So, if you choose this option, consider taking screenshots of the messages before confirming;
- Select the “Report” option;
- Report that the number being blocked has “unwanted content” – if you do not opt in to blocking, this content will not be displayed to you.
What to do if your WhatsApp is stolen
If your account on the platform has been stolen, you will need to set it up again on your cell phone. This process can take a few days and requires an important tip: do not ask the operator to block your line if you are still receiving calls and messages on the number.
Some people think that the measure also prevents intruders from accessing the account, but this makes it difficult to recover the account, as canceling the line with the operator does not affect the functioning of the messenger.
How to recover the account
- Try setting it up again on your phone;
- Enter the six-digit code sent to your number via SMS;
- If the scammer activated a second password on the other cell phone – which is quite common – you must wait seven days to repeat the process.
According to WhatsApp, even if you don't know the double protection code, the person who was using your account will be logged out when you enter the six-digit code sent by SMS after seven days from the first attempt.
