By Douglas Ogbankwa Esq.
Nigeria hackers are on the prowl again and I tell you, this time they are working with swift efficiency.
When you are in a Whatssap Group and you see some one’s security code change, it most likely means that his or her Whatssap Number has just been hacked. You should reach the person privately (by a phone call ) to ascertain whether or not he or she actually changed his Whatssap Number’s Security Code.
If the answer is in the negative, remove him or her immediately from the Whatssap until he or she secures his Platform. This is for the Safety of all other Members on the Group.
If you do not do so, you will suddenly see that the number has been changed to the hacker’s Whatssap number.
That means the hacker has substituted the person’s Whatssap Number with his Number. Then the person will begin to send scam messages to the Group and he can even access other Members’ Whatssap Numbers, with out security features and also for the purpose of sending scam messages and fake news.
The Hacker can also send private chats to your loved one asking for help or requesting for money, as if you are the one requesting for same. The victim in this scenario, may have compromised his or her Whatssap Account, by inputing the code the hacker gave to him or her on his security feature, which the person if not smart will now use in helping the hacker hack his Whatssap Account, then, he or she will no longer have control over the Whatssap Account.
The Hacker can also use your Account to spread fake news that may have national security implications and put you in jeopardy or in legal harms way. Admins of Whatssap Groups should always check their Groups intermittently to ascertain the security and sanctity of same or they can be vicariously liable for any criminality perpetuated by hackers on their group according to the Cyber Crime Act.
In this light, do not respond to messages for you to put a code in your whatssap account security feature or reveal your security code to any one.
When You start seeing bogus investments plans with credit alert extracts in your group the hacker has hacked a Member’s Whatssap Account and the Whassap Account must removed immediately.
If your Account has been hacked, google the Contact details of Whatssap Inc. in American and report same and they will help you retrieve your Account.
In view of this development, I strongly admonish you follow the following procedure to secure your Whatssap Account:
Go to the icons on the right hand side of your Whatssap Home page;
Then select settings on your WhatsApp Icons and Click on Account.
Click on the Two step verification prompt and enter your pin 6 digit pin, a pin you can remember and
Confirm your pin. For Certainty of purpose, use a Pin you are used to. Better to use a syncronised but secure pin for all your online transactions.
Input your email address that is a Valid Email address and then
Confirm your email.
Then save, that is all. It is so simple ,
but if you do not do it, the consequences are dire!
If someone wants to change your whatssap number, WhatsApp will ask for the Two-step verification process and without it the account security feature will not be activated and so the Account Will not open.
Since the hunters have learnt to shoot with out missing, you should learn to fly with out perching. Take this precaution today.
Goodluck.
