What to do if Your WhatsApp Account Gets Hacked in UAE? Steps to Follow

When was the most recent occasion you were contacted by an unfamiliar number through WhatsApp? These messages could involve selling items or inviting you to participate in a new WhatsApp group. Authorities in the UAE have been cautioning online users to be vigilant when interacting with unfamiliar numbers on social media platforms. Dubai Digital Authority recently issued a new advisory. But what do you do if your WhatsApp account gets hacked in  UAE? The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) provided a set of guidelines that online users can adhere to.

What to do if Your WhatsApp Account Gets Hacked in UAE? Steps to Follow

According to the post by TDRA, these are the steps you should follow:

• Send an email to WhatsApp’s technical support at [email protected] and mention the following text: “Lost/Stolen: Please deactivate my account”. Provide your phone number in the following format: +9715xxxxxxxx.
• Try to remove and reinstall WhatsApp at different times of the day.
• Retry reinstalling WhatsApp every day.
• Inform relatives and friends about the hacking and urge them not to respond to any messages coming from your number on WhatsApp.

See Also: Breaking News! WhatsApp will Stop Working on These Phones After October 24

How to protect your WhatsApp account?

On its official online help centre – faq.whatsapp.com, WhatsApp has also shared simple steps that you can follow. These are:

• Never share the six-digit registration code you received via SMS with others.
• Enable two-step verification by tapping on Settings, then Account, then two-step verification. Create a six-digit PIN code which you can use.
• Allow only your contacts to see your profile photo. This is one way to protect your data, according to WhatsApp. To enable this security feature, tap on ‘Settings’ and go to the ‘Privacy’ section. You will see the option for a Profile photo, which may be set to ‘everyone’. Click on the option and select ‘My contacts’ or customise who can and cannot view your profile photo.
• Be wary of people asking you for money.
• Check your linked devices regularly. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Linked Devices to review all devices linked to your account. To remove a linked device, tap the device > Log Out.
• If you receive unrequested emails to reset your two-step verification PIN or registration code, don’t click on any links. Someone could be attempting to access your phone number on WhatsApp.