O whatsapp It is currently the most popular messaging app in Brazil. Ignorance of security measures can cause discomfort for users. A lot of blows are currently applied. Hackers obtain the user’s number in various ways, for example, through advertisements on OLX or free market. It’s important to be aware of weird links that ask for security data.

Learn how to enable 2-Step Verification
on Whatsapp and protect yourself from scammers

We have an article that tells you how to activate the security system in two steps, which will put an end to the biggest Whatsapp scam, it’s very simple. Follow this link to complete the process.

According to a survey conducted by the organization dfndr laboratorystartup specializing in digital security pseifmore than 473,000 Brazilians have already been victims of WhatsApp cloning and more than 15,000 people a day were affected by the coup d’état in September 2020 alone. The number of people caught in the scheme was 25% higher compared to the previous month (August).

The state of São Paulo stands out in this context as the place with the highest incidence in the month of September, with 107,000 victims. The second worst-case scenario is in Rio de Janeiro with 60,000, followed by Minas Gerais with 43,000. Below you can find more data from the survey:

How do I know if I’ve been hacked?

Has your WhatsApp been suddenly disabled and you get a message saying it’s active on another smartphone? If the answer is yes, it means that your account has been hacked and is intended for malicious use.

People hacking a WhatsApp account are usually looking for financial gain. So they will send messages to your entire contact list asking for bank transactions or personal details like credit card number and other such things.

To begin with, it is important to remember that there is always a verification code that WhatsApp itself sends via SMS for security purposes. these figures access can only be obtained by the owner of the account and no one else. Therefore, always be suspicious of calls and requests from this security system. As true as it sounds, this is the only way to avoid attacks.

account recovery

whatsapp recommends you disable the smartphone app, download it again and try entering your number normallylike it was done for the first time. will be sent SMS confirmation with an activation code. This number should not be shared with anyone, as the developers will keep you safe. As soon as you connect to your device, anyone who is logged in with your number will be automatically disconnected.

Whatsapp Official Help Site

If requested second code, and you don’t know it, or you don’t have access, then the attacker used Two step verification code. This system is provided by WhatsApp itself to make confirmation more secure.

The scam that is being used in Brazil currently uses this confirmation system to prevent the user from regaining control quickly. To request a verification code again, you must wait seven days.

After the seven day period, you can request a new code for the same number. This is even if you don’t have access to your security code. Your account will be disconnected from other devices when you enter the six-digit code resent via SMS.

Whatsapp security time is seven days. It will not change if you try to reactivate your account during this period, as this time is required by the app’s security measures. After seven days without access to your account, you can repeat the process. If it still doesn’t work, even after this period, check out another action you can take below.

During this period let me know ALL to your contacts that your device has been hacked and that people should not make any deposits or provide details for your WhatsApp account. Ask to be removed from groups where you can connect with a lot of people. Send an SMS to the people who are logged into their smartphone telling them what happened and advising them not to give their security details if something like this happens to them.

Did not work?

If the first system does not work, there is another way, which is to request a lost number, as if your smartphone was stolen. To do this, you need to request to block the number directly in WhatsApp.

You must: send an email to [email protected] with the following sentence: “Lost/Stolen: Please deactivate my account” in the body of the letter. You must provide your phone number in the full international format, for example: +55 (XX) XXXXX-XXXX. With 55 for Brazil and the numbers in brackets is the city code and then its number.

[email protected]

By sending this email, WhatsApp will block your number on all devices it uses. To register again, the application will send you security codes, please do not share these numbers with anyone!

Missed conversations?

If your chat history has been deleted you can recover using your smartphone account. Click here to view recovery procedures on Android, click here for iPhone with iOS operating system.

Whatsapp will show you the best data recovery method, which should be done according to the operating system of your device.

Access to old conversations

WhatsApp has a new end-to-end encryption system. This means that even if the person who hacked into your account has access to your contacts, they cannot see old conversations.

The application itself keeps this information hidden, and only the devices that exchanged these messages can access it. Thus, neither messages nor media can be accessed on other devices.

Period without account access

The app remains active even if it takes a few days for your account to recover. Your contacts can still see your profile normally, even if you don’t get access to it. AT messages are sent to your account as usual and have up to 30 days to be processedthis means that when the account is restored, you will have access to the messages you have lost.

After you reactivate your account, all functions return to normal, you retain access to the groups you were a member of (as long as the hacker did not leave or delete them during the invasion period). If your account is not reactivated within 30 days, it will be permanently deleted from the WhatsApp servers and you will need to register another number.

Did the process work for you? How was your account hacked? Share in the comments below to let others know and prevent them from falling for the same scam.

Source: WhatsApp SAQ