"Almost Hacked on WhatsApp: My Experience and How to Protect Yourself"

-

 


A couple of days ago, I received a strange message from one of my close contacts on WhatsApp. It read:

“Hi, sorry, I accidentally sent you a 6-digit code via SMS. Can you forward it to me? It’s urgent.”

At first, it seemed like a normal message, but something didn’t feel right. Why would someone accidentally send me a verification code? And why was it so urgent to get it back? I quickly suspected that something was off, so instead of responding right away, I decided to call the same WhatsApp number.

When I called, my contact didn’t answer but instead sent me a text saying:
“Can’t talk now. Call me later?”

This seemed even more suspicious, but I still didn’t want to jump to conclusions. I replied, “OK,” hoping to get a clearer sense of what was going on.

Then, I got another message almost immediately:
“Don’t worry, just send me my 6-digit code.”

Now, alarm bells were ringing in my head. Why would anyone insist so much on a code like that? I had read about scams where hackers impersonate people to trick others into sharing verification codes. So, I replied cautiously:

“I’m not feeling confident due to all the online frauds these days. I wanted to confirm before sending anything.”

That response seemed to be the end of the conversation, and shortly after, I learned that it was indeed a scam attempt. If I had sent the 6-digit code, the hacker could have used it to access my WhatsApp account, steal my data, and possibly send similar messages to my contacts to continue the scam.

That experience really shook me, so I want to warn you all about this WhatsApp hacking scam. Hackers are impersonating people and trying to trick others into sharing a 6-digit verification code that is sent to their phones via SMS. If you ever receive a message like this, please don’t share the code without verifying directly by calling the person (and not just through WhatsApp) or double-checking with them in another way.

Hackers use this trick to take control of your WhatsApp account, access your messages, and steal your data. They may also use your account to scam your contacts, so it’s crucial to be cautious.

Stay alert, double-check everything, and protect yourself from these kinds of scams. Online fraud is increasing, and the best defense is awareness. Stay safe and don’t let the hackers win!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

lock down story

-
Image
  Couple of weeks ago, I went to nearby electric repair shop in my neighborhood, because my emergency light is not working. The technician, looked the all parts of light carefully, meantime I was trying to understand his situation during lockdown, he shared in those days his shop was completely shut down like others, I hesitantly, inquired about his livelihood sources and how he had managed his day to day expense? He shared, sir there was no option but I had to sell fruits in the streets, and that was the only source of survival for him and his family, after unlocking he is only able to earn around 30% of income, what he used to earn before Pandemic. After almost 20 minutes, he said he will not able to repair my light. I offered him money for his Labour but he refused to take and gently responded Sir, I haven't done your work, how can I take money, I tried hard but he was reluctant. With his gesture and dedication, I was thoroughly impressed....
Read more

Living with the Caste: Everyday Life & Politics in Bihar

-
Image
  I was in my native village in East Champaran, near the Indo-Nepal border. One day, I travelled to Bettiah and Bagaha to learn about a social venture initiated by our friend. I will write more about that mission later, but for now, I want to share something else. My friend sent a car for me to reach his place; this journey took over two hours. During the trip, I asked the driver his name. He politely shared his name (Mohan) & proudly mentioned his caste identity, Bania.   This led to an endless conversation about caste, party politics and social justice in everyday life while our wheels were moving towards the destination.  When I proposed the subject of caste with him to share his thoughts, he keenly stated, "Sir, before Lalu Yadav's government in Bihar, our caste faced enormous challenges as a lower caste." He went on without stopping, and I was extremely fascinated by his perspective and understanding of the social justice efforts undertaken by Lalu Prasad Yad...
Read more

Why I Believe Birsa Munda Remains Relevant For Indigenous Identity Around The World(15 November 1875 – 9 June 1900)

-
Image
Birsa Munda was an indigenous leader and a folk hero, belonging to the Munda tribe who was behind the Millenarian movement that arose in Jharkhand during the British Raj. This made him an important figure in the history of the Indian independence movement. Birsa Munda is named with great respect as one of the freedom fighters in the Indian struggle for independence against British colonialism. His achievements in the freedom struggle became even greater considering he accomplished this before he turned 25. Birsa’s devotion to his people was such that he was almost revered as God by his followers. By the time he was in his 20s, his activities in present-day Jharkhand had already begun to worry the British establishment to a considerable extent. He was finally caught by the British on February 3, 1900, when he was only 25 years old. He died soon afterwards under mysterious circumstances on June 9, 1900, at Ranchi Jail. Indigenous people from the rest of Asia or Africa hav...
Read more