According to Meta, WhatsApp has over 2.5 billion users globally who utilize the platform for various purposes. With such a massive user base, WhatsApp’s popularity comes with some drawbacks. Recent reports indicate a consistent rise in WhatsApp hacking cases. Typically, after hacking the WhatsApp profile, the hacker sends messages to contacts, claiming that the user is in a dire situation and needs financial assistance. If the contact tries to help, the contact will ask for the user’s account number. The hacker then sends a fake account number, claiming that payment needs to be made to that account to bring the user out of the situation. If a profile has been hacked, there is no need to panic. It is possible to retrieve the account by following the steps below.
N/B: If you receive a suspicious message requesting funds, ask the sender to call you. They typically won’t.
How to retrieve your WhatsApp
Method 1
If your WhatsApp is hacked, you can retrieve it in less than 10 minutes if you have a good network connection. Immediately you notice the hack, do not report your number for WhatsApp to block it. Take the simple recovery steps:
1. Uninstall the WhatsApp app from your phone.
2. Go to the Play Store and download it afresh.
3. Launch the app with the same phone number. Make sure you have the sim card bearing that number, which was hacked. Meta will send a six-digit code to your phone number via SMS.
4. Enter the six-digit code that WhatsApp sends to you via SMS. This logs you into your account immediately and automatically logs out the hacker.
If you are asked to provide a two-step verification code, when you did not set up one, it means the hacker must have activated a two-step verification code. Since you do not have the code, it means you have to wait 7 days again before you can sign in without the two-step verification code. However, you have nothing the worry about since the hacker was logged out as soon as you were logged in with the 6-digit SMS code. So, the hacker cannot continue any chat with your contacts while you wait for 7 days.
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Method 2
To retrieve a hacked WhatsApp profile within 10 minutes, follow these steps:
Step 1: Log Out of All Devices (1-2 minutes)
1. Open WhatsApp on your phone.
2. Tap the three vertical dots at the top right beside the search bar.
3. Select **WhatsApp Web**.
4. Tap **Log out of all devices** to ensure the hacker no longer have access.
Step 2: Verify Your Phone Number (1-2 minutes)
1. Log out of WhatsApp and log back in using your phone number.
2. WhatsApp will send a six-digit code via SMS to verify your phone number.
3. Enter the code to log back into your account, which will automatically log out to the hacker.
Step 3: Secure Your Account (2-3 minutes)
1. If you have not set up two-step verification, you will need to wait 7 days before you can sign in without the two-step verification code.
2. Set up two-step verification by going to **WhatsApp Settings** > **Account** > **Two-step verification** > **Enable**.
3. Create a four-digit PIN to add an extra layer of security.
Step 4: Review Account Settings (1-2 minutes)
1. Check your account settings to ensure the hacker has not made any unauthorized changes.
2. Pay special attention to linked devices and remove any you do not recognize.
3. Adjust your privacy settings as needed.
Step 5: Protect Your Account (1-2 minutes)
1. Ensure you are using the latest version of WhatsApp.
2. Avoid suspicious links and downloads from unknown sources.
3. Never share verification codes with anyone.
By following these steps, you can recover your hacked WhatsApp profile within 10 minutes and secure your account against future unauthorized access. Please note that both methods are almost the same with just a few differences in the steps. Please use any of the processes that appear easier to you.
I hope this helps if and when the need arises. Share with family and friends. Let’s stop these unscrupulous individuals from taking advantage of unsuspecting users.
Thanks for this. I have used the first method and its pretty simple and straightforward. The second one seems to be for those that have access to a desktop (because of WhatsApp Web).