Imagine waking up one day, grabbing up your smartphone, and discovering your WhatsApp account is under someone else control. It’s with WhatsApp scammers.

They’re posting status updates and even sending out messages and making calls to your contacts as if they’re you.

That would be a worrying experience.

Sad as it obviously is, bad guys have many cunning ways to gain access to and take complete control over your WhatsApp account.

Here are 5 methods hackers use.

#1. WhatsApp number hack

Hacking your WhatsApp number may not be that hard for hackers. Scammers who use this method rely on social engineering.

First, they try to register your phone number on WhatsApp. The process involves the app sending a verification code to your phone.

You lose your WhatsApp account the minute you hand over the code to the malicious user.

#2. WhatsApp Forward Call

If you’re smart and refuse to share the verification code, the hacker can try to get it through a WhatsApp call.

You’ll receive a WhatsApp message asking you to click a link or dial a number, usually with the promise of some benefits.

Immediately after you action the request, the scammer might use a Man-Machine Interface (MMI) code to trick you into forwarding your WhatsApp calls to their number.

A successful call forwarding enables the hackers to register your number on WhatsApp installed on their device.

This time, they’ll not need you to share the verification code. The code will go directly to them through a call forwarded to their device.

#3. WhatsApp Spyware

We all use third-party apps to perform certain functions. Unfortunately, many of these applications come integrated with malicious codes intended to scam users.

How do you know its a spyware?

Often, malicious software will constantly ask you to take certain actions or permit it to execute the action.

For instance, the spyware could ask you to download an email attachment or click a link. It could trick you into downloading another malicious app.

And once you fall for the trick, you unknowingly authorize scammers to collect your personal information and WhatsApp data through the spyware.  

Here’s what it means.

If you’re a smartphone user who installs every app you come across, you just simplified the hacking task for WhatsApp scammers.

Soon, your photos, audio, videos, statuses, and more will be in the hands of WhatsApp scammers.

#4. WhatsApp Web hacking

WhatsApp Web is an application with which you can access and use your WhatsApp account on a web browser.

But to run WhatsApp Web, you need to scan a QR code. Unfortunately, millions of fake codes are out there.

And once you scan one, the code’s creators can steal your login credentials and hack your WhatsApp account.

#5. Hacking Through Dark Web

Ever heard of the dark web?

These are secret networks of encrypted online content.

A lot of personal information is sold on these networks. A fraudster can buy your personal data.

This could be your phone number, email address, or other login credentials.

With this data in their hands, they can gain access to your WhatsApp account.