A few weeks ago, a friend messaged me in a panic:
“Someone’s using my name and photo to message people on WhatsApp. They’re pretending to be me and asking my contacts for money. What do I do?”
At first, I assumed it was just spam, but then she forwarded screenshots. The impersonator had copied her profile picture and was messaging her friends from an unknown number, claiming she’d lost her phone and needed urgent help. Thankfully, her friends grew suspicious and verified with her directly—but it was a close call.
Unfortunately, this kind of impersonation scam is becoming increasingly common on WhatsApp. With over two billion users globally, the platform is a prime target for scammers trying to exploit trust between friends and family. But the good news is: you can take control of your security.
In this article, we’ll walk through how to stay safe on WhatsApp—from locking down your privacy settings and enabling two-step verification, to recognizing the signs of impersonation and reporting suspicious activity. Whether you’re a casual user or someone who depends on WhatsApp every day, these tips will help you use it confidently and securely.
How to Stay Safe and Secure on WhatsApp: Your Guide to Privacy and Protection
With over 2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is a go-to app for staying connected with friends, family, and colleagues. Its built-in end-to-end encryption ensures your messages stay private, readable only by you and the intended recipient. But even with strong security, your safety on WhatsApp depends on how you use its features and stay alert to potential scams. In this article, we’ll walk you through simple steps to lock down your account, tweak privacy settings, spot impersonation scams, and report suspicious activity. Follow these tips to keep your WhatsApp experience secure and stress-free.
1. Lock Your Account with Two-Step Verification
One of the easiest ways to protect your WhatsApp account is by enabling two-step verification (2FA). This optional feature adds an extra layer of security by requiring a 6-digit PIN you create whenever your phone number is registered on a new device. Even if someone gets hold of your SMS verification code, they can’t access your account without this PIN.
Why it matters: Two-step verification stops hackers from hijacking your account, keeping your chats and personal info safe.
How to set it up:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings (tap the three-dot menu on Android or the Settings tab on iOS).
- Select Account > Two-step verification > Enable.
- Create a 6-digit PIN and confirm it.
- (Optional but recommended) Add an email address for PIN recovery in case you forget it.
- Tap Save or Done.
Pro tip: Never share your PIN with anyone—not even friends or someone claiming to be “WhatsApp support.” WhatsApp will never ask for it in a chat. You’ll occasionally need to enter the PIN (about once a week) to keep it fresh in your memory.
2. Take Control of Your Privacy Settings
WhatsApp lets you decide who sees your personal details and activity. By default, some of your info—like your profile photo or when you were last online—is visible to everyone. Adjusting these settings can shield you from strangers and scammers.
Head to Settings > Privacy and review these options:
- Last Seen & Online: Choose who can see when you were last active or if you’re online. Set it to My Contacts(only people in your address book) or Nobody for maximum privacy. Note: If you hide your “last seen,” you won’t see others’ either.
- Profile Photo & About: Limit who can view your profile picture and “About” status. Stick with My Contacts to prevent strangers from downloading your photo or gleaning personal details.
- Status Updates: Share your temporary Status posts with My Contacts, or restrict it further to specific people using My Contacts Except… or Only Share With….
- Groups: Stop random people from adding you to group chats by setting this to My Contacts or My Contacts Except…. If you end up in an unwanted group, you can exit and block the admin.
- Calls: Silence calls from unknown numbers by enabling Silence Unknown Callers (under Privacy > Calls). You’ll still see missed calls in the Calls tab, but your phone won’t ring, cutting down on spam.
- Read Receipts: Turn off the blue checkmarks if you don’t want others to know when you’ve read their messages. Keep in mind, this also hides read receipts from others’ messages to you.
Why it matters: Tightening these settings reduces the chances of scammers targeting you based on your profile or activity. You can always tweak them later if needed.
3. Block and Report Suspicious Messages
If you get a message or call that feels off—whether it’s spam, harassment, or a potential scam—don’t hesitate to block the sender. Blocking stops them from messaging or calling you, and they won’t know they’ve been blocked.
How to block:
- Open the chat, tap the contact’s name (or the menu), and select Block.
- Check Report to WhatsApp before confirming to send the last few messages to WhatsApp for review. This helps them spot and ban spammers or scammers.
Why it matters: Blocking keeps you in control of who can reach you. Reporting suspicious accounts helps WhatsApp keep the platform safe for everyone. If a message seems “too good to be true” or fishy, don’t forward it—block and report instead.
4. Watch Out for Impersonation Scams
Impersonation scams are a growing threat on WhatsApp. Scammers may pose as a friend or family member, often using a new number and claiming they’ve lost their phone or changed numbers. After some friendly chat, they might ask for money, gift cards, or personal info, often with an urgent sob story like, “I need to pay a bill today, or I’m in trouble!”
Red flags to watch for:
- A “friend” or “relative” messages from an unfamiliar number, claiming it’s their new one.
- They push for money or sensitive info, citing an emergency or technical issue.
- Their tone or wording feels off—like they’re too formal or use phrases your real contact wouldn’t.
- They urge you to keep it secret or act fast to stop you from verifying their story.
How to stay safe:
- Verify their identity: Ask a personal question only the real person would know, or better yet, call them via voice or video chat. Scammers often dodge calls or give vague answers.
- Double-check: Contact the person through a known channel (like their old number or email) to confirm if they’ve really changed numbers or need help.
- Don’t send money or info: If you’re unsure, pause and verify independently. Real friends won’t mind you being cautious.
- Report and block: If you spot a scammer, stop responding, block the number, and report it to WhatsApp as an impersonation scam. You can also warn your loved ones to stay alert.
Why it matters: Scammers thrive on urgency and trust. Taking a moment to verify can save you from falling for a fake crisis.
Final Thoughts: Stay Smart, Stay Secure
By following the above practices, you can significantly reduce the risks while using WhatsApp. The key themes are: stay private, stay alert, and use WhatsApp’s security features. Make sure two-step verification is enabled, limit what strangers can see about you, and be on guard for suspicious behavior. WhatsApp is secured with robust encryption, but it’s up to you to use the app responsibly and carefully. If you do, you can enjoy the convenience of WhatsApp with peace of mind that you’re well-protected against hacks and scams.
Note: If you want to check out WhatsApp’s official security tips or need help with settings, visit whatsapp.com/security or the app’s FAQ section. Stay safe out there!