Was your WhatsApp account hacked or ID stolen? Be aware! Do this ASAP

Social media apps are a age world over and hackers are looking to take advantage of innocent people by stealing their private information. WhatsApp is one of teh most popular social media apps and it recommends users to never share their SMS verification codes with others, not even friends or family.  In case you have shared already, know that you are in danger as this has created an opportunity for your WhatsApp account to be hacked and used by other individuals or entities. 

WhatsApp states that, if you're tricked into sharing your code and lose access to your WhatsApp account, then notify family and friends as this individual could impersonate you in chats and groups.

For those who have already compromised their WhatsApp account, here’s how to get your control back.

Sign into WhatsApp with your phone number and verify your phone number by entering the 6-digit code you receive via SMS.

Once you have entered the 6-digit SMS code, the individual using your account is automatically logged out.

Notably, a WhatsApp user  might also be asked to provide a two-step verification code. If you don't know this code, the individual using your account might have enabled two-step verification. You must wait 7 days before you can sign in without the two-step verification code.

According to WhatsApp, regardless of whether you know this verification code, the other individual was logged out of your account once you entered the 6-digit SMS code.

Also, even if your account is hijacked, still note that WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted and messages are stored on your device, so someone accessing your account on another device can't read your past conversations.

If someone else has accesses your account WhatsApp Web/Desktop, then it is recommended to log out of all computers from your phone.