WhatsApp account problems: every guide and service in one place
WhatsApp accounts are tied to a phone number, so most problems come down to two things: someone else registered your number with a code you were tricked into sharing, or WhatsApp banned the number. The fix for each is different — re-registration for a takeover, the review request in the app for a ban.
01 / Guides5 guides
Guides
- WhatsApp hacked: how to get your account back and lock it down3 min readSomeone took over your WhatsApp? Re-register with the SMS code, deal with a two-step PIN you don’t know, log out linked devices and warn your contacts.
- WhatsApp verification code not received: how to get it — and when not to3 min readWhatsApp’s 6-digit code not arriving? Let the timer finish, use “Call me”, check the number format, avoid guessing — and spot when a code request is a takeover.
- Lost or stolen phone: how to protect your WhatsApp account and get your chats back3 min readPhone lost or stolen? Lock the SIM, re-register your number or ask WhatsApp to deactivate the account, what happens in the next 30 days and how to restore chats.
- “Hi Mum, this is my new number”: how the WhatsApp family scam works and how to stop it3 min readA “child” or friend on a new number asking for money? How the Hi Mum scam works, the one-call check that stops it, and what to do if you have already paid.
- WhatsApp account banned: how to request a review and get your number back3 min read“This phone number can’t use WhatsApp”? Why numbers get banned, how the in-app review works, temporary bans for unofficial apps and what to do if a ban is final.
03 / Official help pages10
Official help pages
The platform’s own pages these guides are built on. Every route listed here is free.
- WhatsApp Help Center — recover a compromised accountfaq.whatsapp.com
- WhatsApp Help — how to verify your phone numberfaq.whatsapp.com
- WhatsApp Help — can’t register phone numberfaq.whatsapp.com
- WhatsApp Help — account security tipsfaq.whatsapp.com
- WhatsApp Help — lost and stolen phonesfaq.whatsapp.com
- WhatsApp Help — about account deactivationfaq.whatsapp.com
- WhatsApp Help — back up or restore your chatsfaq.whatsapp.com
- Scamwatch (ACCC) — “Hi Mum” scams warningscamwatch.gov.au
- Action Fraud — fake text messages targeting parentsactionfraud.police.uk
- Action Fraud — WhatsApp group chats targeted by fraudstersactionfraud.police.uk
04 / Key terms6 terms
Key terms
05 / For every platform33 guides
For every platform
- Official account recovery links for every platform (2026)3 min readThe genuine recovery, appeal and help-centre pages for Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Google, X, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Telegram and Microsoft.
- Appeal deadlines by platform: how long you have to challenge a ban (2026)4 min readHow long you have to appeal a suspended or disabled account on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, Google, WhatsApp and Snapchat — and what happens after.
- How long does account recovery take? Waiting times and windows by platform (2026)4 min readAccount recovery, reopening and reinstatement wait times for Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta, WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch and Pinterest in one sourced table.
- Who else is logged in to your account? Where to check — and sign out — devices on 12 platforms4 min readWhere to see the devices logged in to your Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X, LinkedIn, Telegram, Snapchat, TikTok and Discord accounts.
- How to turn on two-factor authentication on 12 platforms — and the backup that saves you when the phone is gone4 min readWhere to turn on two-factor authentication on Google, Apple, Microsoft, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Telegram and Discord.
- How to report a phishing email, text or fake login page — and what to do if you clicked3 min readGot a fake “your account will be closed” email or text? Where to report phishing to Gmail, Outlook, Google Safe Browsing, Meta, Amazon, the UK NCSC and the US FTC.
- Stop account hackers: a 15-minute security checklist for your social media3 min readA 15-minute checklist for Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, Telegram and Google: app-based 2FA, backup codes, the email behind it, sessions and phishing.
- Passkeys explained: what they are and how to set them up on Google, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook3 min readWhat a passkey is, why it can’t be phished, and how to set one up on Google, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook — plus the recovery options to keep before you rely on it.
- Online harassment: how to report it, and where to escalate when the platform ignores you4 min readHarassed on Instagram, TikTok or X? Document it, report it, switch on the safety tools, then escalate: eSafety, Report Harmful Content, the EU DSA — or the police.
- Disabled, suspended, restricted or locked: what your account notice really means3 min readWhat disabled, suspended, restricted, locked, banned, deactivated and memorialized mean on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X and Google — and the first step for each.
- Account recovery scams: how to spot a fake recovery service5 min readFake “hackers”, Meta “insiders” and guaranteed unlocks: how recovery scams work, the red flags, what a real service looks like and what to do if you paid.
- Lost access to two-factor authentication: how to get back into your account3 min readNew phone, lost authenticator app, no backup codes? How to get past two-factor authentication on Instagram, Facebook and Google — and avoid future lockouts.
- Hacked account or online scam: where to report it, country by country4 min readOfficial places to report a hacked account or online scam in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil, the UAE and more.
- Account suspended in the EU: your appeal rights under the Digital Services Act3 min readIf you live in the EU, the Digital Services Act gives you a statement of reasons, a free internal appeal and an independent dispute body. How to use them.
- Sextortion: what to do if someone threatens to share your intimate images4 min readBeing blackmailed with intimate images? Don’t pay, stop replying, keep the evidence, report it — and use the free Take It Down and StopNCII tools to block uploads.
- Hacked even with two-factor authentication on? How session hijacking and cookie-stealing malware work3 min readHow cookie-stealing malware lets attackers into your accounts without your password or 2FA code, the warning signs, and the clean-up order that locks them out.
- Hacker still reading your email? How to check Gmail and Outlook for forwarding, filters, rules and delegates3 min readA new password doesn’t remove a hacker’s forwarding address, inbox rules or delegates. Where to find and delete them in Gmail and Outlook.com, step by step.
- Third-party apps with access to your account: how to find and remove them on Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Instagram and X3 min readQuiz apps, “follower checkers” and old logins can keep access after a hack. Where to review and revoke connected apps on Google, Microsoft, Meta and X.
- Your email or password showed up in a data breach: what to do in the first hour3 min readA breach notice or a Password Checkup alert? Which passwords to change first, how to spot the follow-up phishing, and when to freeze your credit.
- Do you need a password manager? How to choose one and set it up safely3 min readWhy a password manager is the simplest fix for reused passwords, the free built-in options from Google and Apple, and the settings that keep the vault itself safe.
- AI voice cloning scams: how to spot a fake call from a family member or your boss — and what to do3 min readScammers clone a voice from a short clip and call for urgent money. What the FTC and FBI advise: hang up, call back on a known number and agree a family code word.
- QR code scams (“quishing”): how fake codes steal logins and payments — and what to do if you scanned one3 min readFake QR codes on parking meters, in emails and on letters lead to look-alike login and payment pages. How to check a code before you open it, and what to do after.
- Your hacked account is posting crypto or giveaway scams: what to do in the first hour3 min readFake crypto giveaways or “investment” stories posted from your account? Warn your followers, take the account back, remove the posts and report — in this order.
- Will an unused account be deleted? Inactivity rules for Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and X — and how to keep yours3 min readGoogle and Microsoft can delete accounts unused for 2 years, Yahoo after 18 months; X wants a login every 30 days. What counts as activity and how to keep access.
- Doxxed: how to get your home address, phone number and personal details taken down — and stay safe3 min readYour address or phone number posted to target you? Save evidence, report it under platform privacy rules, get it out of Google and know when to call the police.
- SIM swap: your phone lost service and accounts are being reset — what to do now3 min readPhone suddenly shows no service and accounts start resetting? Signs of a SIM swap, how to get your number back, secure your accounts and stop it happening again.
- Phone lost or stolen: what to do in the first hour to protect your accounts, money and messages5 min readLock it with Find My or Find Hub, suspend the line, then secure your email, bank and WhatsApp from another device. The order that matters, from Apple and Google.
- Is my phone hacked? The signs of spyware and stalkerware, how to check, and what to do safely4 min readBattery drain, data spikes or someone knowing your private messages can mean spyware. How to check iPhone and Android, when it’s the account, and staying safe.
- Romance scams and “pig butchering” crypto scams: the warning signs, and what to do if you have already sent money4 min readAn online partner you’ve never met asks for money or pushes a crypto “investment”? FTC and FBI warning signs, how to check a profile, what to do if you paid.
- Fake job and “task” scams on WhatsApp and Telegram: how they work, the warning signs and what to do if you paid4 min readPaid to like videos, then asked to deposit crypto to unlock your earnings? That’s a task scam. How it works, FTC figures, red flags and what to do if you paid.
- Someone is using my photos: how to find fake profiles with a reverse image search and get them taken down4 min readYour photos on a fake or catfish profile? Find every copy with Google Lens and TinEye, save the evidence and report it on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and more.
- Changing or losing your phone number: update your accounts first — or a stranger may receive your codes4 min readA new number can lock you out, and your old one goes to someone else. What to update first: email, Apple, Google, WhatsApp, bank and social media.
- Someone asked you to share a verification code: why it is always a scam, and what to do if you already sent it4 min read“I sent you a code by mistake” or a buyer who wants to “verify” you? Sharing a code hands over your WhatsApp, Google Voice or other account. What to do next.
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