Credits: Social Media
Tell-tale sign your WhatsApp has been hacked and chats monitored
Hacking is a serious crime that anyone can fall victim to. Even though WhatsApp is known for its end-to-end encryption for all personal messages, others can still monitor your chat if you’re among the unlucky few.
Technology is bliss when it’s used for the right reasons. In today’s world, cybercrimes such as data hacking, credit card scams, and identity theft are not uncommon. It’s your responsibility to stay as safe as possible.
How to know if your WhatsApp account is hacked
WhatsApp is one of the most widely used chatting apps, and hundreds and millions of users exchange personal information on the platforms daily.
Over the years, the app has released several features to make itself user-friendly. However, the option to link your WhatsApp to multiple devices can do severe damage if you aren’t aware of its functions.
The app has an option called Linked Devices. You can find it by selecting the three dots on the top right of your home page where all the chats appear.
The feature allows you to link your WhatsApp to different devices – phones, and laptops – by scanning the QR code that appears on the device you want to connect to.
Once connected, your entire WhatsApp is accessible on another device other than your phone, where messages and more can be sent and received normally.
As pointed out by TikTok user @comfietech, who is known for her daily tech tips and AI tools, you can find out if your account is hacked with the devices linked to your account.
If any other device is linked to your WhatsApp without your knowledge, tap on it and select Logout to permanently remove it from your list.
Privacy settings you should know about
WhatsApp offers several privacy settings so you don’t have to worry about others accessing your personal information.
- Screen Lock – The option is available under Privacy at the bottom. Enabling this will ask for a Face ID or password whenever someone tries to get into an account.
- Last Seen – Present on the top of Privacy settings, you can limit your last seen to some of your contacts or remove it for everyone.
- Disappearing messages – This feature sets a timer on the messages in your chat. They disappear automatically depending on the option selected – 24 hours, 7 days, 90 days. You can find the feature by tapping on the name of the person whose message you want to timely clear.
