A woman was going about her day when she noticed suddenly that her WhatsApp had stopped working. She tried restarting her phone, but to no avail. Soon after, her husband started receiving calls from her contacts, asking why she was requesting money.
Confused, she checked her phone again. It wasn’t just WhatsApp - she couldn’t make or receive calls either. Worried, her husband contacted the cybercrime branch, where they discovered that her WhatsApp had been hacked through call forwarding.
She then recalled a call she had received earlier from a person posing as a delivery agent. The caller claimed he got a parcel for her and asked for her address. Thinking her children might have ordered something, she shared the details without suspicion. The caller then asked her to dial a number, saying it was for delivery confirmation. Without much thought, she did.
Unknowingly, she had entered a call-forwarding code. This redirected all her calls to another number, allowing fraudsters to hijack her WhatsApp and use it to scam her contacts.
This was not an isolated case. In another incident, a man was tricked by fraudsters posing as a friend. They registered WhatsApp using his number and messaged him, claiming they had mistakenly sent an OTP and lost it. Busy with travel, he forwarded the OTP without caring to give a second thought. Soon after, his WhatsApp stopped working, and scammers used his account to request money from his contacts.
Cybercrime officials explain that fraudsters often trick people into dialling a call-forwarding code starting with *#, which redirects their calls. This allows scammers to verify the number and register WhatsApp on their own devices.
Another common method involves persuading victims to share their OTP, giving fraudsters direct access to their WhatsApp accounts. Scammers also use phishing links to install third-party apps, such as APK messenger forwarders, on victims’ phones. These apps forward messages to the scammer’s number, letting them intercept WhatsApp verification messages and take control of the account.
WhatsApp hacking cases have been reported in Bhopal. While such incidents were more common in the past, they have decreased recently. However, fraudsters continue to exploit people who are unaware of these scams.
What Authorities Say
Authorities advise that anyone who suspects their WhatsApp has been hacked or is unable to access it should report the issue to the cybercrime branch or email support@support.whatsapp.com. The account is usually restored within 24 to 48 hours.
To protect yourself from such attacks, here are three essential security measures you should enable immediately:
Enable Two-Step Verification (Multi-Factor Authentication):
WhatsApp's two-step verification adds an extra layer of security. You can activate it by going to Settings > Account > Two-Step Verification in the app. This requires you to set up a personal PIN, and a six-digit code. Both will then be needed to move your account to a new phone.
Add an Email Address: Under Settings > Account, link an email address to your account. This helps verify your identity if you ever need to recover your account. While it won't stop a hijack, it can assist you in regaining access.
Set up a Passkey (if available): If your device supports it, enable Passkey to link your WhatsApp login to your device's biometric authentication, like a fingerprint or facial recognition. While convenient, this feature complements rather than replaces Multi-Factor Authentication, which remains your strongest defence against account takeovers.
Awareness and caution are key to avoiding WhatsApp scams. Enabling two-step verification, avoiding unknown requests, and checking for call forwarding can help protect accounts. If hacked, reporting it quickly can prevent further misuse.