Staying Safe on WhatsApp Social Media and Messaging Apps

Protect conversations, profiles and contacts from impersonation and takeover scams.

What you will learn

• Recognise impersonation and verification-code scams
• Use privacy and linked-device controls
• Respond safely to urgent requests from contacts

Safety note

Use invented examples during practice. Never publish or send real passwords, PINs, verification codes, recovery codes, private tokens or complete financial details. If money or account access may be at risk, contact the relevant provider promptly through independently verified official details.

Verify the person

A scammer may copy a friend’s picture or claim to have a new number. Unexpected requests for money, codes or secrecy should be verified by calling a known number or speaking in person.

Voice recordings and video can also be manipulated. Ask a question only the real person should know and confirm through another channel.

Protect the account

Enable two-step verification where available and keep its PIN private. Review linked devices and remove sessions you do not recognise.

Limit public profile information and group-add permissions. Information about family, work and travel can make impersonation more convincing.

Handle codes and recovery

Never send a registration or verification code to another person. A scammer who obtains it may register your account on their device.

If access is lost, follow the app’s official recovery instructions promptly, warn contacts through another channel and review linked sessions after recovery.

Guided practice

1. Review messaging-app privacy and linked-device settings.
2. Create a family verification question or call-back rule.
3. Write a warning you could send contacts after an account takeover.

Knowledge check

1. How should a new-number money request be verified?
2. Why are linked devices important?
3. What can happen if a registration code is shared?

Completion standard

Continue when you can complete the guided practice safely and explain the knowledge-check answers in your own words.