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Post by EspadaIII on Aug 26, 2024 10:24:36 GMT
Espadrille had her WhatsApp hacked yesterday. She received a message from a friend saying 'please send me the code you have just received '. Which she did, not realising the significance of what she had done.
Result was a wiped WhatsApp account and someone else impersonating her to all her contacts. Cue much wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Getting it sorted but it's not pretty.
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bpg
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Post by bpg on Aug 26, 2024 10:51:40 GMT
Ouch ! That's something you could live without.
Mrs bpg noticed messages appearing from one of her contacts to then change the sender details to another contact yesterday (Sunday). No request for codes or replies sent.
Hopefully you'll get sorted with minimum impact.
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Post by EspadaIII on Aug 26, 2024 10:59:21 GMT
Problem was we were in an area of poor reception so sorting it was complicated. Decided to cancel the SIM and get a new one which will take a couple of days. But we're getting there.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Aug 26, 2024 17:07:47 GMT
In the meantime you don't have access to the WhatsApp account but someone else still does. It's not linked to a SIM it's linked to the phone number which still exists.
If you have a number used on a dumb phone you can get WhatsApp working on a tablet etc. by authenticating using the 6 digit code WhatsApp sent to the old device. You need to get back into the account but for that you'll need the working SIM because the authentication code would be sent to the other device which they have so you'd need to use SMS to verify it's you.
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Post by EspadaIII on Aug 26, 2024 17:41:40 GMT
Yes. When we get to the new SIM we will request a new code by which time we hope that the culprit has forgotten about this number and gone on to another number which he has hacked.
Oh joy
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Aug 26, 2024 18:02:05 GMT
I guess I'm saying cancelling the SIM was pointless and has delayed you get into the account until you can get it and receive a confirmation SMS from WhatsApp. Cancelling it has not stopped the person from using it. Although maybe there's something else you can and have done in the meantime to at least block the use. But I'm guessing they need you to prove who you are and you cancelled the SIM.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Aug 26, 2024 18:34:03 GMT
All I think you need to do is re-register your number on the phone using the and request an SMS or a call with the activation code. The other person will then be logged out of the account.
But before I did that I'd take a copy of any downloads (especially pictures etc.) that may be from the account just in case. I say this because when I switched to my new phone in July I thought I'd get all of the messages, images. etc. but I didn't. In my case it will be because I had been using Dual Messenger for WhatsApp. This can provide a cut-down address book in WhatsApp but it also means (I think) there is another location for messages/threads/downloads. So using the Samsung migration tool did not move these. But I just restored them from a backup in WhatsApp itself.
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Post by EspadaIII on Aug 26, 2024 19:55:11 GMT
OK
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Aug 26, 2024 22:31:24 GMT
All I think you need to do is re-register your number on the phone using the and request an SMS or a call with the activation code. The other person will then be logged out of the account. But before I did that I'd take a copy of any downloads (especially pictures etc.) that may be from the account just in case. I say this because when I switched to my new phone in July I thought I'd get all of the messages, images. etc. but I didn't. In my case it will be because I had been using Dual Messenger for WhatsApp. This can provide a cut-down address book in WhatsApp but it also means (I think) there is another location for messages/threads/downloads. So using the Samsung migration tool did not move these. But I just restored them from a backup in WhatsApp itself. It should have said 'using the app', i.e. WhatsApp. It sounds like the person/friend who asked for the code from her phone had their account hacked first. The 'hacker' has then used your wife's phone number to request a code to move to another device and then asked her for the code they know she was just sent. Makes you wonder how many people in her circle of friends have been compromised. Have you tried texting them (i.e. don't use WhatsApp)? |
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Post by EspadaIII on Aug 27, 2024 10:57:54 GMT
Oh lord.. I reckon from one person, hundreds have been hacked...
It's messed up the nursing arrangements at a major London hospital, as the rota is done via WhatsApp..
Two factor security now activated.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Aug 27, 2024 16:52:16 GMT
Wow. I'd thought after my reply last night that maybe it was limited because the person doing this will run out of devices to use - although maybe you can use a browser? Presumably they are after some financial gain but they have caused no end of problems.
I only (reluctantly) installed WhatsApp on my mobile when the youngest went travelling around the world and he'd not have a working phone SIM for all the countries. Not without costing a fortune. So that's why I installed WhatsApp using Dual Messenger on my phone so I choose the contacts that appeared in the app so that's all anyone at WhatsApp saw. But when I got my new phone I first tried Dual Messenger but it messed up getting my messages etc. across so I redid as the main version of the app. You've got me thinking of switching to Dual Messenger for WhatsApp and only have the contacts I want visible to the app. I'll also consider two factor security too.
And I don't do other social media.
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Post by EspadaIII on Aug 27, 2024 19:12:52 GMT
Like me. Social media is limited to WhatsApp (which I use a great deal) and this forum. I occasionally venture onto an aviation forum but haven't posted in ages.
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Post by Humph on Aug 27, 2024 20:40:06 GMT
Load of fly by nights I’d think.
🤔
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Post by bromptonaut on Aug 31, 2024 13:04:24 GMT
Like me. Social media is limited to WhatsApp (which I use a great deal) and this forum. I occasionally venture onto an aviation forum but haven't posted in ages. I've seen you on there from time to time. Actually my first forum, before even HJ. |
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Post by EspadaIII on Sept 1, 2024 10:58:24 GMT
Problem mostly resolved. I got a new SIM and put it in a clean restored phone and set it up with a fake account. I then downloaded WhatsApp and commenced the task of recovering Espadrille's account.
BTW she is overseas so cannot do it directly until she comes home and the hackers were still reeking havoc.
I asked for a code which didn't arrive and I had to wait an hour to try again. This time I got the option to be called with the code. This worked and I got the account onto the phone in my control.
When she comes home, I'll put the new SIM in her phone and move the account over. Hopefully...
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