WhatsApp is a relatively secure application. Chats are end-to-end encrypted and messages, photos, videos, etc., are deleted from the server once delivered to our contacts, but all that isn’t worth much If we are unfortunate enough that someone steals our account. It’s a bit complicated, but not impossible.
There are three main ways to steal your WhatsApp account. The first is that someone enters your number on another mobile phone and you make the mistake of give them the six-digit verification code you receive via SMS. The second, of course, is that your cell phone is stolen, in which case, if you don’t have a screen lock, your conversations will be sold. The third is that a person Log in to WhatsApp Web/Desktop using your mobile without you knowing and having full access to your chats. These are three complex scenarios, but the truth is that fixing them is quite simple.
My WhatsApp account has been stolen, what should I do?
Let’s start with the first scenario and assume that, for some reason, you shared the six-digit verification code with the person who is trying to steal your account. This user already has access to your conversations, while you, who are the real user, will have been logged out of WhatsApp on your mobile, which until now you had configured as the main device of your WhatsApp account.
How to remove access? Easy, reconnect to WhatsApp from your mobile. Enter your number and the six-digit code that you will receive via SMS and that’s it, the other user will be kicked out of the application and will not be able to see your chats. To prevent this from happening to you again:
- Don’t share the verification code with anyone (it’s like giving your Facebook or Instagram password to a stranger).
- Enable two-step verification. This way, every time someone inserts your phone into another device, they will have to enter an additional six-digit code that only you know, provided you don’t share it with anyone, of course.
The second scenario is that your cell phone has been stolen, and then things get complicated. If you have a screen lock enabled, such as fingerprint, PIN, or face unlock, it will be more difficult for the thief to access, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. There are several things you need to do if your phone is stolen, but when it comes to WhatsApp, you have three options:
- Lock your SIM cardso that the thief cannot receive the SMS or call with the verification code (now you will see why).
- Send an email to [email protected] with the subject “Lost/stolen: Please deactivate my account” and enter the number in international format in the body of the text. In the case of Europe you must add +34 to your number, for example +34600111222.
- Talk to your carrier and request a duplicate SIM card. This one has the same number as you, so all you have to do is enter it on the cell phone of a friend or family member, connect to your WhatsApp account and that’s it, the thief will have still the cell phone but at least your chats will be safe. If you blocked the previous SIM card, the thief will no longer be able to access it.
It is important that if your cell phone is stolen, you take the second step. Even if the SIM card is blocked, if you have not succeeded in duplicating the card, the thief will still be able to access your conversations via WiFi, so it is essential that you deactivate the account. This will put it on hold for 30 days, it won’t completely delete it, so you have a month to log back in and recover your chats from Google Drive backup.
When you deactivate your account, it remains inactive for 30 days. After this time, if you do not log in, it will be deleted
We come to the third step, and that is someone is spying on you using WhatsApp web or desktop app. This is difficult to detect, although it can be done. For example, are there any messages you don’t remember seeing? Has someone seen you online at a time when you don’t usually go online? If there are signs of suspicious activity on your account, you have nothing to lose by taking precautions.
To avoid problems, simply log out. Go to “Settings” > “Linked devices” and close all sessions. You’ll have to restart it on your computer, but if someone was watching without you knowing, they will ipso facto lose access. The damage may already be done, but at least you will avoid more serious harm.
How to prevent your WhatsApp account from being stolen
You already know what to do if your account is stolen, so it’s time to know how to protect yourself. WhatsApp allows you to configure certain protection measures directly from the application settings menu, such as the possibility of blocking access to WhatsApp with a fingerprint, blocking access to a specific chat or even hiding it with a secret code.
Thus, there are several things you can do and this will help you further protect access to your chats:
- Set a biometric screen lock, such as fingerprint or face. They are harder to hack and can save you trouble if your phone is stolen.
- Enable two-step verification, this way if someone tries to access your account, they will have to enter a six-digit PIN before accessing the SMS verification code.
- Periodically check the sessions you started and close them.
- Do not share the verification code received by SMS with anyone.
In Xataka Android | The definitive and simplest trick to read messages without anyone knowing is on WhatsApp Web
In Xataka Android | What your Android phone’s cache and cookies have in common and why you should keep them away
