In today’s world, the smartphone has become an essential part of our lives, and sometimes we all wonder what was our life like before the advent of the smartphone. Not it seems that without some apps on mobile phones, life will become difficult, as these apps have become tools to stay connected with your friends and the rest of the world. Apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, X, Instagram, and Messenger have become integral parts of our daily lives to stay connected.
What happens when these types of apps stop working on your smartphone?
This happened to me when my WhatsApp stopped working about two weeks back, one fine morning I received an SMS on my phone that there was a request from your phone number that you want to shift your WhatsApp account to the new device, so use this six digit OTP to start the account on the new device. I realized immediately that my WhatsApp account was being Hacked.
I am describing below, what ordeal I went through in the next two weeks to get my WhatsApp account reactivated:
1 First I tried to use the given OTP on the existing phone, but it did not work and the display said to use this OTP on the new device.
2 It had so happened that during the earlier two nights in continuation, I had received four calls from different numbers all starting with +1 country code, which I declined realizing these might be prank or dubious calls.
3 As per the display message on WhatsApp, I clicked on help and it said that if you want to reactivate your WhatsApp account please complete a two-stage identification of your account with an e-mail ID and six-digit identification number code.
4 I typed my e-mail ID which I normally use, but their system did not accept it, even my other alternate e-mail ID was rejected. I do not know whether I had done a two-stage identification process with my account.
5 Then the display showed that if I wanted to reactivate my WhatsApp account without using two-stage identification, then I should try after 7 days. All this happened on the 29th and 30th of December 2023.
6 So I did not have any choice but to wait, and as I was traveling from 1st to 4th Jan 24 I did not mind.
7 On 4th Jan when I switched on to WhatsApp the display said please try to re-activate your account after 24 hours.
8 So on the next day (5th Jan) the WhatsApp account was reactivated in late evening.
9 Imagine on the same night I again received two calls from numbers starting with country code + 1, and the morning of 6th Jan my WhatsApp account was again stopped with an SMS that we had received a request that you are shifting your account to new device use this six digit OTP to activate the account.
10 Again I repeated the process as mentioned earlier, and the last display was to try after 6 days.
11 Now I was puzzled and perplexed, and I contacted my regular mobile phone repair guy, who suggested that I should contact my Service Provider (Airtel).
12 Immediately I approached Airtel Gallery, and there I was told that WhatsApp is 3rd party App, and they can not do anything. I asked them if should I shift my WhatsApp to a new number, they said I could try. I got myself issued a new SIM card. They also told me to complain to the Cyber Crime Cell of my Police Station, which I did on the same day.
13 The next day I installed a second (new) SIM on my cell phone ( as it has two SIM slots) to activate my second number.
14 On the 8th Afternoon (Monday), I deleted my original WhatsApp account and started a new WhatsApp account on the 2nd number.
15 On the 9th morning when I woke up, I saw two missed calls from numbers with country code +1, and my new WhatsApp had stopped working with the same SMS request received for shifting the account to a new device.
16 Now this was a matter of great concern and worry, as I had never imagined that an account with a new number would also be hacked.
17 So I again approached the Cyber Crime Cell and again explained the situation to the officer concerned. He listened to the matter and said that he had not seen this type of issue earlier, and asked me whether I had lost any funds from my bank accounts, and I replied in negative. Then he said it looks like from somewhere (through the apps) Spyware has come to your phone and that’s why this could be done by some hackers, he said you did a good thing by not accepting all the calls, otherwise, anything could have happened to your bank accounts.
18 Then he suggested please restore your original phone manufacturer’s settings on your phone (Rebooting the phone) and then see.
19 So, I got my phone restored to its original factory settings.
20 On 11th Jan I deleted the WhatsApp account with the new number and reinstalled the WhatsApp with my original number. The WhatsApp display said to try after 24 hours. After completing 24 hours, when I opened WhatsApp the display showed try again after 19 hours. Lastly when after completing 19 hours on the evening of 13th Jan, the WhatsApp account with my original number was re-activated.
21 Luckily after rebooting the phone, the dubious calls from + 1 numbers have not come.
22 Now I am keeping my fingers crossed, and hoping that this incident never repeats itself.
Surprisingly during this ordeal, I received 8 calls with a country code starting with +1, and every time it was a new number.
This has been a learning experience for me, and that is the reason I shared this ordeal of mine with you all so that you all become careful in handling your apps on smartphones.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
15th January 2024