The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has warned the public about a rise in WhatsApp account hacks, especially targeting women’s accounts. According to the FIA spokesperson, cybercriminals are using advanced methods like phishing and social engineering to get unauthorized access to personal information.
Recently, there has been an increase in reports of hacked WhatsApp accounts. Hackers use these accounts to access personal chats, photos, and videos, which they then use for blackmail and exploitation.
Phishing involves tricking users into revealing personal information or clicking on harmful links through deceptive messages. Social engineering further helps in unauthorized access, with female users being the main targets of these attacks.
The FIA has given some tips to protect WhatsApp accounts:
- Enable two-step verification: This adds extra security and helps prevent unauthorized access to your account.
- Be careful with unknown messages: Do not open messages, photos, videos, or files from unknown or suspicious numbers as they may contain harmful links or malware.
- Update privacy settings regularly: Reviewing and updating your WhatsApp privacy settings can help protect your personal information.
If your WhatsApp account is hacked, the FIA advises:
- Contact FIA helpline 1991: Report the incident or visit the nearest FIA cybercrime office for help.
- Contact WhatsApp support: Reach out to WhatsApp Help to regain control of your account and secure it.
- Inform your contacts: Let your friends, family, and colleagues know about the hack to prevent any misuse of your account for fraud.
These steps are essential to protect against and respond to WhatsApp account hacks.
