Breaking The Code: Understanding And Recovering From WhatsApp Hacks

20 November 2023

As one of the most widely used messaging applications with billions of users, WhatsApp has become a prime target for criminals. They seek to hack the platform and access sensitive information. WhatsApp is fairly prone to people hacking it if you are not careful.

Unfortunately, the popularity of messaging apps has made them vulnerable to these attacks. Scammers often attempt to deceive users into sharing their 6-digit verification code, which they then use to log in to the app. So, is your WhatsApp hacked? Let’s learn what to do when this happens.

Is Your WhatsApp Hacked?

If your verification code falls into the wrong hands, they can easily hack your WhatsApp account. However, if you have made this mistake, there is no need to worry. There is a way to recover your hacked account. Here is how you can ensure your WhatsApp is safe and not hacked.

Inform WhatsApp & Others Contacts

If you suspect that your account on WhatsApp may have been hacked, you should first inform WhatsApp about the issue. You can contact them via email at support@whatsapp.com and make sure to mention “Lost/Stolen: Please deactivate my account” in the text body.

Additionally, it is important to inform your friends and family members about the security breach so that they are aware and do not fall prey to any objectionable messages from the hacker. Once your account is successfully deactivated, you will be given 30 days to reactivate it. If you fail to reactivate it within the given time, all saved chats or media backed up in the cloud will be at risk of being deleted.

Reactivate WhatsApp

If you receive a duplicate SIM card, you can reactivate your WhatsApp account on a different device. WhatsApp will send you a six-digit code that you will need to enter to gain access to your account. After entering the code, the hacker will be logged out of your account automatically.

However, if you do not receive the duplicate SIM card within the given time frame, delete your WhatsApp account to prevent the perpetrators from misusing your account. Please note that uninstalling and removing WhatsApp are not the same.

To delete your account, you need to contact WhatsApp Web Support. If the hacker activates the 2-step verification process, this will motion WhatsApp into asking you to enter the code. Since you do not know the code that the hacker has used, you will have to wait for seven days to recover your account. The good news is that during this waiting period, the hacker will not have access to your WhatsApp account. As one of the most popular messaging apps with over 2.5 billion users, WhatsApp remains a prime target for regular hackers who attempt to compromise user privacy.

WhatsApp Safety: Signs Of Being Hacked

Here are a few signs you should look for to determine if your WhatsApp account could have been hacked. If you start to see any of the signs and think that your WhatsApp may be hacked, here are a few things you could do to get back your account and prevent future attacks.

If you see new contacts in your account that you don’t remember adding
Spam messages and media sent from your account to old or newly added contacts
An unknown device from an undisclosed location has accessed your WhatsApp account
There are notable changes to your profile details, such as your username and profile picture that you don’t recall making
Someone adds you to new groups that you don’t remember being a part of

If you have misconfigured account and security settings

WhatsApp Hacked How To Protect Your WhatsApp Account?

If you think that someone has hacked your WhatsApp account, you can follow a few steps to recover your account. It will also prevent hackers from accessing it again.

1. Regain Control Of Your WhatsApp Account

Have you ever clicked on a shady link? Did you scan a weird QR code to join a group, or did anything to lose complete access to your account? In this case, you should try to regain access to your WhatsApp account.

2. Sign Out Of Your Account From Any Device

WhatsApp Web no longer requires you to have your phone nearby to use your account. Therefore, if a scammer has linked your WhatsApp account to her WhatsApp Web, they may be using that account without your knowledge. The same applies if you use your account secretly on the WhatsApp desktop app.

Therefore, it is essential to unlink your account from any unknown device you are currently using. To do this, follow these steps:

Open WhatsApp on your main phone, where you just restored your account.
On Android, tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner, then tap Linked Devices.
Scan and remove suspicious devices accessing your account. Tap the device you want to remove and click Sign Out.
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Linked Devices and unlink the unknown device.
Recovering your account and logging out of unauthorized devices may protect your account. This prevents hackers from gaining access again.

Next, notify your contacts of the security breach.

3. Notify Contacts About Security Breaches

After hacking into a victim’s WhatsApp account, attackers often pose as the victim and attempt to make money by demanding money from their contacts, asking for sensitive information that they can misuse later, or sending phishing links to hack other accounts.

Once you have secured your account, it is essential to notify all your contacts about the breach so that they are aware of the situation and do not ignore any suspicious messages. Those who have already responded to the scammer’s message can take action to recover their money (if they’ve already sent it) and keep their sensitive information safe.

4. Block Unknown Contacts And Leave New Groups

If scammers hack your WhatsApp account, they may use it to promote products or attempt to phish your contacts. They can also join random groups and spam them, which can harm your reputation and credibility.

You should check your recent chat boxes with contacts that are unknown and messages you sent to groups. If you notice any suspicious activity, inform the contacts and group members about the breach and block all unknown contacts. You should also leave groups you do not engage in.

To block a contact on WhatsApp, open the contact, tap the three vertical dots in the top-right corner, then tap More, and hit Block. After that, tap on Block in the confirmation popup. To leave a group on WhatsApp, go to the group you want to leave, tap on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner, tap More, and hit Exit group. After that, tap on Exit in the confirmation popup.

Secure Your WhatsApp Account

After you’ve successfully recovered your hacked WhatsApp account, it’s important to take measures to prevent any future security breaches. One of the first things you can do is enable two-step verification.

This will help prevent unauthorized access to your account. You can also activate the feature of disappearing messages for conversations that are sensitive. It will protect your data by encrypting cloud backups and customizing your privacy settings. This will make your WhatsApp account more secure. By taking these steps, you can reduce the likelihood of people hacking your WhatsApp account in the future and ensure the protection of your privacy. Don’t let scammers compromise your WhatsApp account.

Wrapping Up

Recovering your hacked WhatsApp account is possible as long as you act fast. Being aware of the steps to take can help you regain control of your account in no time. Stay vigilant to prevent your account from malicious activities that could harm your reputation.

One of the most prevalent methods used by hackers to gain unauthorized access to WhatsApp accounts is through phishing scams. Educating yourself on how these scams work can help you identify and steer clear of them.

So, has someone hacked your WhatsApp? If you have thoughts to share or questions to ask, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!

Read More About:

Sarmind Safi

Sarmind is a Writer and an aspiring Editor who has experience in various short and long-form niches. Her academic pursuits intensely mold her industry background in content creation. She holds a Master's degree in Literature, and when not writing for professional purposes, she can be found re-reading old classics of Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters. She is super fond of cats and enjoys hours of doom-scrolling through memes on social media while cuddled up with a cup of desi chai. She likes to think she is an intellectual badass (colloquial: nerdy bore), and now all she needs is a sewing kit to complete the look!

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Google Meet Code 101: Learn All About The Platform’s Meeting Code

Google Meet is a popular video calling platform created by Google. Whether you are an individual or you are a business, you can connect with others on audio calls and video calls through the platform. Currently, Google Meet is mostly used for video conferences among friends, colleagues, or professionals. One person creates a meeting and sends a unique Google Meet code to others as an invitation to join. In this article, you will learn about the Google Meet platform and the utility of the Google Meet codes that are offered through a Google Meet invitation. Furthermore, you will also learn how the Google Meeting code works on the platform. Finally, you will find out how to join a meeting on Google Meet with the help of a meeting code. Hence, to learn more about the Google Meet code, read on through to the end of the article. What Is Google Meet? Larry Page and Sergey Brin launched Google in 1998 as a search engine. Since then, in twenty-five years, Google covered a lot of milestones, as it is now offering platforms for advertising, cloud computing, quantum computing, computer software, social media, eCommerce, and many more. Google created the Google Meet platform for video calling and video conferencing. Both individuals and businesses commonly use Meet for video conferences, meetings, and discussions. Although created as an extension of Google Hangouts, which is a messaging platform, Meet comes with its own sets of unique features. To log in to Google Meet, one needs to have a Google Account. Your Google account is the same as your Gmail. You need the same during Google Hangouts login as well. Google Meet is also known for enabling users to engage in secure conversations. Although Google sucks in certain cases when it comes to innovation, Google Meet is surely something that stands out. It is one of the most trusted platforms for holding video conferences. Even some of the biggest companies hold big video conferences through Google Meet. What Does The Google Meet Code Mean? According to Google Meet’s official sources, “Meet uses the same protections that Google uses to secure your information and safeguard your privacy. Meet video conferences are encrypted in transit, and our array of safety measures are continuously updated for added protection.” This is where the Google Meet code comes to play. Once you create a meeting on Google Meet, you will get a meet code, which you will need to share with the people you want to invite to the meeting. The Meet code and the Google Meet link are encrypted and hence provide essential protection for security. Basically, Google Meet codes act as meeting identifiers, which users use to invite and interact at meetings in which they are called upon. Every single meeting that took place on Google Meet, and all the meetings that will take place in the future, have a unique meeting code. This is done to offer security to the meeting so that someone does not get unauthorized access. How Does The Google Meet Code Work? If you observe the different Meet codes carefully, you will see that all of them are of ten letters that are divided into three parts in 3-4-3 order of the type xxx-yyyy-zzz. The dashes are given for ease of reading. While you enter a code on a Google Meet link, you will not need to enter the dashes, as Google Meet supports only codes of 10 characters. The link will look like this: https://meet.google.com/xxx-yyyy-zzz. Once you click on the link that you received as an invitation on your device, you will get to a page where you will need to enter the unique code. After you enter the Meet code of ten-letter, you will get access to view and interact with the meeting. However, you will get to the meeting only after the host approves of your joining and participation. After you get inside the meeting, you will find the Google meeting code at the bottom-left portion of the screen. To allow others to participate, you can share this code with others. Does Google Meet Have A Time Limit? Yes. Google Meet codes have a time limit. You cannot enter a meeting link with a meeting code after the code has expired. As per the claims of the official website of Google Meet, “Each meeting is given a unique meeting code which has an expiration time based on what Workspace product the meeting is created from.” To know more about the time limit of the Google Meet code, you can check Google Support. How To Join A Google Meet Conference? The following are the major ways through which you can join a Google Meet conference: 1. Using A Computer Browser Open the Google Meet website from your website browser, or type meet.google.com on the URL. Once you get to the Google Meet page, click on the ‘New Meeting’ option. If you want to join a meeting, click on the ‘Join with a code’ option, and enter the code. 2. Using Mobile App Download the Google Meet mobile app on your smartphone. You need to launch the application and sign in to your account. On the page, you can either create a New Meeting and if you want to join an existing meeting, you need to click on 'Join with a code.' 3. Using Mobile Browser Open a web browser app on your smartphone, and access the Google Meet website. Check the website as a desktop site. Otherwise, the link will ask you to download the app from Play Store. To create a meeting, tap on the New Meeting option, and click on ‘Join.’ Summing Up Hope this article was helpful for you in getting a better idea of what the Google Meet code is and how to use it. This code is unique to every meeting and actually helps to secure the meeting from unauthorized access. You will get access to the meeting only when you enter this ten-letter code after clicking on the link. Do you think Google Meet is secure and useful enough? Share with us what steps Google can take to make Meet better. More Resources: Best Business Meeting Agenda Examples How To Plan A Successful Corporate Event Looking For A Gardener: 8 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Professional

Looking To Control The Screen Time Of Your Kids?

Key points It is important to teach your child healthy screen habits so they can stick with them as they become more independent. Healthy habits established in early life are more likely to continue into childhood and adolescence. You can help your child establish healthy screen time app limits by gradually changing her routine, talking to her about technology, helping her change her screen time habits, and creating a supportive environment. Make sure your child understands the importance of balancing technology (ie screens) with other activities, such as playing games, reading, socializing with others, or using their imagination. Keep your child safe online by setting up a children's account with parental controls and warning them not to share personal information with friends online. While screen time can be very enjoyable for you and your child, too much screen time can lead to negative behaviours and emotions. For this reason, it is important to monitor screen time and encourage your child to balance it with non-screen activities. Ninety per cent of today's children are exposed to screen-based activities before the age of These early years are extremely important for a child's proper growth and development, so it is important to minimize excessive screen time. Habits formed during the early years can last into adolescence and adulthood. Children trust you to teach them healthy screen time habits with FamiSafe apps when they are young so they can maintain those habits as they become more independent. They also trust you to create an environment where they can connect securely. Research shows that Limiting Screen Time comes with Several Benefits Many parents, educationists and counsellors ask this exact question. They want to find out the relationship between screen time and personal development in a child. Let us look at what some reputed and credible studies tell us about the same. A landmark study conducted by researchers in Canada showed that screen time in young kids, ages between two and five years old can limit or deter personal development. This is contrary to what most parents think. ‘My young kid has started using a smartphone at such an early age’- is a common statement you will hear these days. What parents do not realise is that screen time leads to poor development of communications skills like speaking, and other motor skills like reflex actions and so on. Researchers are categorical in saying that young kids should not be exposed to too much screen time whether it is on television, or on smartphones and laptops. Why you should Limit the Time Spent by Children on the Internet? According to scientists, increased screen time can take a toll on the health of youngsters leading to early onset of harmful diseases. Studies have shown that sitting long hours in front of the computer can lead to issues like diabetes, blood pressure and a slowdown of the auto-immune system. Parents should ensure that their kids are spending as much time engaging in physical activities and reduce screen time on an everyday basis. Famisafe features: Famisafe blocks access to pornographic sites for children. It also prohibits access to betting, gambling and casino sites as these are unhealthy for young minds. The GPS function of the Famisafe app allows you to put up a geofence around your kids’ safe and unsafe locations. This allows parents to see where their kids are at all times. The app goes one step further by offering real-time cell phone monitoring and tracking to parents. This shows who they are talking with, what apps they are using and a host of other things. Any kind of unauthorized activity is automatically blocked by the Famisafe App. This includes browsing in Private Mode. What are the Top Benefits of using the FamiSafe App for your Kids? Online Protection- It is important to ensure that your kids are browsing the internet in a safe and secure fashion. The FamiSafe App blocks malicious content and allows your kids to never fall prey to sexual paedophiles or other anti-social elements looking to exploit them in a financial way. Restricted Access and Controls- The FamiSafe app automatically limit access to sites, which are not suitable for young minds. For example, casino sites, betting platforms and gambling portals. All this can be restricted and blocked, even in private browsing mode. Control over Browsing History- Some kids would never want their parents to know what they have been consuming online. They take great pains to ensure that they delete their browsing histories. However, with FamiSafe, parents can have real-time access to their kids’ browsing history. Protection against Paedophiles and Kidnappers- There are tons of people on the internet who have used the pandemic to start preying on innocent children. They offer money, gadgets and other freebies to win the trust and confidence of kids and they start exploiting them. The app guards against these. The Bottom Line- As parents, we can never be fully sure of what our kids are up to these days. While we want to ensure that we do not turn into helicopter parents, we also do not want them to get into any trouble. The internet is not a safe place for a young child. It can condition the mind in dangerous ways, leading to major issues and crisis-like situations. With the FamiSafe app, parents can be certain that they will be able to protect the interests of their kids online in the best possible fashion. If you are a parent who is serious about preserving the dignity, freedom and rights of their kids, you should try out a great screen time app like FamiSafe right away. Here are the download links- Google Play App Store Amazon Try the software. Thank you for reading! Read Also: Removal of Android Screen Lock with iSkysoft The Best Pranking Apps in 2020 With 2018 Coming to a Close, Here Are Our Favorite Apps of the Year Best Deleted photos recovery Apps for Android Best iPhone Spy Apps Without Jail breaking

Get More Installs: Which Extensions Can Help Drive Installs Of Your Mobile App?

Which extensions can help drive installs of your mobile app? Is this the question that you want to know the answer to? If yes, then you have reached the right place. Question: Which Extensions Can Help Drive Installs Of Your Mobile App?Options:a. App Extensionsb. Structured Snippetsc. Extensionsd. Sitelinke. Extensionsf. Remarketing Lists for Search Ads Extensions (RLSAs)Answer: (a) App Extensions If your answer was App Extensions, then you are absolutely correct! However, can your answer be complete without an explanation? Not at all! Keep reading to learn more about App extensions and how it helps the users to gain more mobile app installs in this blog… Explaining The Answer To “Which Extensions Can Help Drive Installs Of Your Mobile App?” As you have already read above, the correct answer to “which extensions can help drive installs of your mobile app?” is the App Extensions. Now, it is time for me to explain this a bit more. So let us take it a bit slow from here. We are living in a digital world. This means that we are constantly surrounded by technology and constant technological developments. And as more and more people are using smartphones and other mobile devices, it is essential that you are able to know about the extensions that can help you maximize the number of installs of your online mobile on the devices of the target audience. What Is An App Extension? Image Source Before talking about app extensions, let me make the idea of extensions clear to you. So what is an extension? Extensions are certain software programs that are found on the internet. These help the users to improve their experience while using Google Chrome and browsing the web. There are a number of different extensions that are available in Google Chrome. Some of them are Google Calendar, LassPass, Loom, Everhuor, Scribe, Grammarly, and SEOQuake. Now, answer one thing— do you have a mobile app? And do you want to market and promote it to your audience? If yes, then you need App Extensions. App Extensions are the extensions that help the users to add links to an app. These links are added to the app right below the text ad. When someone clicks on this link, they will be redirected to your app in the iOS App Store. In other words, if you are planning to direct your audience or other users to your mobile app, as well as provide them with a link to your app, then you need to use the app extension. However, you cannot always use an app extension. There is one limitation that you need to keep in mind. These app extensions only run in the campaigns like a non-app standard search. For example, they would only run in: Search Network only Search network with Display opt-in Let us take a brief look at these two campaigns… “Search Network Only” Campaigns Image Source When you select the campaign called the Search Network Only, your ads show up on the search network of Google right next to the search results on the SERP. These ads are shown to the target audiences to match their search. In this type of campaign, the advertisers can target those people who are directly searching for a particular type of product. This is one of the best campaigns that save a lot of time and money. “Search Network With Display Opt-In” Campaigns. Image Source This is another type of campaign that helps the advertisers to attract potential customers and target audiences to their product. In addition, this search campaign allows the advertisers to display their ads across the Google Display Network. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Now that you have read almost the entire blog take a look at some of these questions that people search about app extensions. You might find some additional information. 1. What Is Sitelink Extension? Ans: The site link extension on Google Ads is an extension with which you can create site links and drive people to specific pages on your site. It not only helps you gain traffic but also helps to generate leads. 2. What Is The Extension For IOS Apps? Ans: The extension that iOS or Apple apps and devices use is the ‘.ipa file,’ which helps to store the apps on iOS devices. This is an application archive file. 3. What Is The Full Form Of APK? Ans: The acronym APK stands for the Android Application Package. It is the format of a file that is used to install applications from the internet or browser on the operating system of Android. Wrapping It Up! The App Extension helps the users to drive installs of their mobile app. This extension works in the form of a link that you can put beneath the ad text. When a user clicks on this link, they will be taken to the app store, where they will be able to download the app. In case you were looking for the answer to “which extensions can help drive installs of your mobile app?” I hope that this article has helped you understand how it works. Let me know if there are other things that you would want to know the answer to. And don't forget to share your thoughts on this blog in the comment box below! 9apps – An Alternative Other Than Google Playstore Your Ultimate Guide To Creating SMS Marketing Campaigns Passing Trend Or New Reality: How To Build A Brokerage App

Breaking The Code: Understanding And Recovering From WhatsApp Hacks

Is Your WhatsApp Hacked?

Inform WhatsApp & Others Contacts

Reactivate WhatsApp

WhatsApp Safety: Signs Of Being Hacked

WhatsApp Hacked How To Protect Your WhatsApp Account?

1. Regain Control Of Your WhatsApp Account

2. Sign Out Of Your Account From Any Device

3. Notify Contacts About Security Breaches

4. Block Unknown Contacts And Leave New Groups

Secure Your WhatsApp Account

Wrapping Up

Your Wrist, Your Chat: Setting Up WhatsApp On Apple Watch

Is WhatsApp Safe: What You Need To Know

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Looking To Control The Screen Time Of Your Kids?

Get More Installs: Which Extensions Can Help Drive Installs Of Your Mobile App?

Breaking The Code: Understanding And Recovering From WhatsApp Hacks

Is Your WhatsApp Hacked?

Inform WhatsApp & Others Contacts

Reactivate WhatsApp

WhatsApp Safety: Signs Of Being Hacked

WhatsApp Hacked How To Protect Your WhatsApp Account?

1. Regain Control Of Your WhatsApp Account

2. Sign Out Of Your Account From Any Device

3. Notify Contacts About Security Breaches

4. Block Unknown Contacts And Leave New Groups

Secure Your WhatsApp Account

Wrapping Up

Share this Article

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Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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