Know-how before this happens to you

Even though it is equipped with good security and privacy system, WhatsApp is often the target of hacking or hacking. Generally, this chat application is chosen by hackers because it is connected to other accounts. In addition, WhatsApp also has a huge number of users in the world.
In Indonesia, several cases of WhatsApp hacking have been heard, which have been fatal. One of the worst effects is losing some money from an electronic wallet or bank account.
Hacking can happen to anyone. To anticipate this, you should know some of the usual ways to restore a hacked WhatsApp account. either it personal account or a business account.

  • Recognize the signs of a hacked WhatsApp account
  • Before discussing how to restore a hacked WhatsApp, you must first know the signs that hackers have taken over our account. Here are some of them:
  • Often logs out of the account by itself;
  • From someone else’s smartphone, sometimes you look “online” even though you’re not accessing it;
  • You’ve just received a message containing a suspicious link, especially from an unknown person;
  • Messages that actually just arrived have been read by themselves even though you haven’t opened them;
  • Suddenly getting OTP from WhatsApp even though you are not logged out or logged into your account;
  • WhatsApp accounts send messages without our knowledge;
  • There is a notification that you have just logged out or are no longer registered with WhatsApp on the smartphone;
  • The account can no longer be accessed.

Well, when you get some of the signs above, you should be suspicious. Especially if you can no longer access the account, if that happens, immediately take action on these next points.

1. Uninstall WhatsApp, then install again

The first attempt you can do to restore a hacked WhatsApp account is to reinstall the application. It aims to reclaim the account from the hacker’s smartphone. To do this, follow these steps:

  • Uninstall the WhatsApp application on your smartphone;
  • Install again by downloading it via the Play Store or App Store;
  • Log in to your account as usual;Enter the OTP code sent to your phone number;
  • If prompted, enter the verification PIN that you created earlier.

After successfully doing this method, your account used by hackers will be logged out automatically. Because WhatsApp can only be used on one account.

2. Immediately report to WhatsApp if you can’t get your account back

Let’s say you’ve done the above. But hackers are more sophisticated than you think, so your account can’t be reclaimed. So what to do?
Don’t panic. The best step you can take next is to report to WhatsApp. That way, the app knows that your account isn’t in the right hands. This step is important to reactivate the WhatsApp account.
Contact WhatsApp via email support@whatsapp.com. Make a loss report. Make sure you include “Lost/Stolen” in the email subject. While in the body of the email, state that you request that the account be deactivated. State it in English so that WhatsApp responds to your email quickly.
Deactivation is the same as deleting a WhatsApp account. That way, neither you nor the hacker can access it. This method tends to be safer than leaving your account in the hands of irresponsible people.

3. Reactivate WhatsApp

After deactivation, you can reactivate your WhatsApp account in the same number but with a different email account. You can submit this request to WhatsApp via the same email as above.
As The Quint reported, WhatsApp will usually provide a six-digit code that must be entered when you register again. After that, make sure you secure your account in the ways in the next point.

4. How to make your WhatsApp account more secure to avoid hacker attacks

Actually, instead of waiting for WhatsApp to get hacked, the best way to protect yourself from being hacked is to prevent the attack. There are some methods that we should do to avoid hackers. Here are some of them:

Never share the OTP code with anyone else;
Enable the two-step verification feature in Settings. That way, we have to enter a six-digit PIN periodically, and when we want to log in;
Always check which devices are registered on your WhatsApp Web. Log out immediately when there is a device that is not yours;
We recommend that you avoid opening WhatsApp when using untrusted public Wi-Fi;
Do not open suspicious links, especially from unknown people.
So, that’s how to restore a recently hacked WhatsApp account. Don’t let your guard down and make the hack prevention efforts above, yes!