WhatsApp is where we share jokes, school notes, group plans and private chats with friends and family. That convenience makes it a tempting target for people who want to take over accounts, steal messages, or use your identity for scams. The good news is that most hijacks are preventable with a few simple habits. This article will walk you through clear, practical steps — the top tips to avoid account hijacks — explained in everyday language so you feel confident protecting your account today.
Steps to Protect Your WhatsApp and Top Tips to Avoid Account Hijacks
Step 1: Understand How Hijackers operates
First, understand how most hijacks happen. Attackers usually don’t need your password: they trick you into giving a verification code, they use leaked personal information to pass checks, or they convince your mobile carrier to move your number to a new SIM (SIM swap). That means the strongest protections focus on preventing strangers from getting or using those verification codes and making sure your device and accounts are harder for someone else to access.
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Step 2: Turn On Two Step Verification.
One of these powerful habits that can be adopted currently is the one that will allow two-step verification within WhatsApp. This includes a PIN you will select, once your number has been confirmed by SMS, WhatsApp asks you to provide that PIN, and then it reinstates the account on a new device. It is a simple environment yet one of the most successful top tips to avoid account hijacks since it does not allow one who has only your SMS code to pass through the setup. Choose PIN that you can remember, but that will not be guessed by other people – not birthdays or numbers you can see in the street. In case you are afraid of forgetting it; you can make notes and store them in a secure place, and not phone.
Step 3: Do not give out your Verification code.
No one should also share verification codes with anyone — ever. When registering your number, WhatsApp will use a six-digit code sent using SMS. When a given code is not anticipated, it is a red flag: someone might be trying to set up your number on a different device. Attackers usually impersonate friends, family, or even support of WhatsApp requesting such codes. A request of a verification code should be treated as a scam attempt. This is the rule that lies in the middle of the top tips to avoid account hijacks and it does work.
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Step 4: Use Strong Passwords
Set a password with high screen density and use the biometric lock, fingerprint or face unlock, where possible. When a person can find your phone and unlock it, and access the messages, then the other safeguards do not matter. Also customize the privacy settings of WhatsApp: enable the built-in in-app screen lock (in the Settings part of the app, in Account, Privacy, Fingerprint lock or Screen lock depending on your device), and set your Last Seen, Profile Photo, and About to My Contacts or Nobody so that strangers learn as little about you as possible.
Step 5: Stay Updated
Keep the WhatsApp and the operating system of your phone updated. Security issues are usually solved by updating the apps and the operating system updates guard the supporting device. By operating the latest versions, it is less likely that a recognized vulnerability can be exploited to access the chats. On the one hand, do not trust someone who writes that you will receive a cool feature after downloading a modified version of WhatsApp on a third-party site to you. — third-party WhatsApp modifications are a frequent source of account theft and malware.
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Step 6: Beware of Phishing
Watch out for phishing. Phishing is when malicious individuals attempt to defraud you into providing personal data by posing as authentic pages or messages. One of such tricks is an email or SMS which appears to be sent by a store or WhatsApp itself and requests you to confirm your account. Look closely at the sender, hover over links (where possible) to find out the real address of the web address and where in doubt, open the official application or site on your own and not through the linking. These are some of the realistic measures in the list of top tips to avoid account hijacks since the majority of hijackers count on getting you to click or reply without thinking.
Step 7: Careful Use When using WhatsApp Web or Desktop.
WhatsApp Web or Desktop should be used with care. Check active sessions regularly (open WhatsApp → Menu → Linked Devices) and quit the remote sessions that you do not recognize. Never leave your account unlogged out of a computer especially the one that is shared by a friend or a public computer; otherwise, the next person will still have access to your account. In the event that you lose your phone, call your mobile operator to suspend the SIM right away then re-register your WhatsApp number on a new SIM with two-step verification turned on.
What if your Account is Hijacked?
Unless you take precautions, take immediate action in case of hijacking of your account. Check your phone number one more time in the app and provide your two-step PIN, when requested. In case you are unable to recover the same, contact WhatsApp support using the address associated with your account and detail the problem – provide the phone number in the international format. Another thing is to call your cell phone company and request them to lock your phone using a PIN or account password to prevent attackers from ordering changes to your SIM. This would be helped by reporting the incident to an adult you trust or your school IT administrator.
Conclusion
Lastly, learn to think critically and practice it. Doubly check any suspicious requests, always pause before clicking, and create a set of simple habits to stick to, such as, checking your Linked Devices and two-step verification options at least once or twice a month. It is these little but regular steps that will form the core of top tips to avoid account hijacks and will ensure that your conversations remain confidential and that your account is in your hands.
You do not have to be a tech pro to protect your WhatsApp: certain decisions and minor adaptations to your phone usage are all that is needed. These are the tips that one should keep in order to make their account a tougher target to an individual who has tried to get it under their control.
