In Pakistan, the cases of WhatsApp hacking have grown tremendously, and several users have become victims of online fraud and blackmail systems.
The latest reports say that the cases of breaches of WhatsApp accounts have been on the rise in recent months, and cybersecurity specialists encourage users to be very careful, especially when exchanging verification codes or one-time passwords (OTPs).
Hackers are also reported to be targeting mobile and social media users, calling them with unknown numbers to access their accounts. Most of the times criminals target people by pretending to be officials of a courier service and inform the victim that they have registered a package in his/her name and that they need the delivery confirmation code that is to be sent to his/her phone.
Analysts caution that, as soon as the OTP is distributed, the attackers promptly assume the WhatsApp account of the victim.
The accounts are then compromised to send messages to contacts, and the fraudsters fabricate an emergency and demand financial help, leading to significant losses of money by a number of people.
It has been reported that elderly individuals and homemakers are especially susceptible to such scams because of their low knowledge of digital safety precautions.
According to one of the victims, the hackers had his account to send messages to thousands of his contacts, and some of them transferred money believing that they were dealing with genuine requests.
The cybersecurity analysts have warned people to never forward OTPs or personal details to strangers, and that more awareness among people is needed to curb these cyber offences.
What to do if your WhatsApp is hacked: NCCIA issues guidelines
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) issued an alert for WhatsApp users. It has warned of an increase in hacking incidents and advised immediate steps to prevent potential losses.
The agency said users should act without delay if they lose access to their WhatsApp account or suspect that someone else is using it.
Immediate steps in case of hacking
According to NCCIA, affected users should uninstall WhatsApp from their mobile phone and reinstall it.
During login, users must enter their registered phone number.
A six-digit verification code will be sent via SMS. This code should be entered immediately.
The agency explained that once the code is entered, WhatsApp will automatically log out the hacker.
WhatsApp can remain active on only one device at a time.
