Your WhatsApp phone number be suspended – Anyone with your phone number can suspend your WhatsApp account for any reason. They could be an individual, a body such as a school or the government, or a hacker from anywhere in the world. You may think this is an isolated incident and that it would never happen to you.
It seems hard to believe, but this is true, and your luck may run out at any time when someone decides they want to take control of something you hold dear – like having access to your WhatsApp account without knowing you have it. Recently WhatsApp announced that its users’ accounts could be suspended if they had no phone number linked to the account, even if the number was used on another device. In short, you must understand that your whatsapp phone number be suspended.
WhatsApp also announced that it would suspend accounts linked to stolen mobile numbers, even if they were activated and linked to another device. That means your account could be closed just because someone had your number and you did not have control over it. The announcement was made as part of a new partnership with the digital security company. Here is how your WhatsApp phone number be suspended by anyone who has access to it.
What does WhatsApp have to say about this hack?
According to WhatsApp’s announcement, it has been working with Check Point for two years on this process. The two companies have been monitoring hundreds of thousands of accounts to identify stolen numbers or those linked to fraud.
WhatsApp said that it managed to suspend more than one million stolen or otherwise ‘problematic’ numbers (mostly linked to scams and fraud) worldwide in the two years. In addition, the company is working towards a new security system for verification that will simplify users’ processes. In the meantime, WhatsApp recommends securing your phone with a PIN and creating a unique password for your device.
“We urge people to protect their WhatsApp accounts. By adding another layer of complexity, implementing a six-digit passcode on your device will help avoid unauthorized use,” they said in a statement on Twitter.
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FAQS
How can attackers suspend your WhatsApp account?
Many people may be unaware that anyone can easily suspend your WhatsApp account by asking around to find your temporary phone number. It is because WhatsApp does not require you to link the two phone numbers together at any point, which could save attackers trouble. Instead, you can access another person’s temporary phone number by calling them you already know the number of or by simply asking someone and getting it off them.
Suppose an attacker can somehow get hold of your account username and password. In that case, they could quickly transfer it to the targeted person’s account without knowing their true identity and needing the temporary number. Moreover, once the attacker has your account number, they can continue interacting with WhatsApp as you or even create a new account and link it to your old one.
Attackers could also target people through their phone numbers by calling them up and asking them to join them on WhatsApp. It is not advised that you give out your phone number to someone you do not know, but some people may be unaware of this possibility. The usual verification method involves sending a six-digit code via SMS message back to the mobile number you are trying to verify.
What is a six-digit code in WhatsApp?
This six-digit code is intended as a backup measure in case someone has stolen someone else’s phone and has not yet gained access to their username and password. Once WhatsApp runs on the new device, it can start receiving notifications from all your other devices without needing the six-digit verification code.
The attacker could then alert you or any other person to the fact that you are being spied upon, taking control of them similarly. This attack is handy for gaining access to users with low security – because as long as there is no existing account linked to a phone number, WhatsApp will not ask for a password combination.
The above-listed portion depicts how attackers suspend your WhatsApp phone number.
