Hacked WhatsApp account? How to get it back
Platform focus: WhatsApp
At a glance
To recover a hacked WhatsApp, open it on the phone with your SIM, tap Log back in, and enter the 6-digit code sent to your number. That logs out every other device. If it asks for a PIN you never set, WhatsApp says to wait 7 days and try again.
WhatsApp does not use a password to prove you own an account. It uses your phone number and a 6-digit registration code, so most takeovers start with someone tricking you into passing on that code.
In most cases you can take the account back yourself, as long as you still control the SIM.
How to recover a hacked WhatsApp account
- Open WhatsApp on the phone with your SIM, tap "Log back in", then "Continue", and enter your number.
- Type the 6-digit code you receive by SMS or phone call. Re-registering with that code logs out every device using your account, and WhatsApp says this is the only way to remove someone who has taken it over.
- If WhatsApp asks for a two-step verification PIN you do not know, the hijacker probably set it. WhatsApp says to wait 7 days, then try again with the SMS code.
- Warn your contacts from another channel not to send money or codes, and tell them the messages were not from you.
- Once you are back, turn on two-step verification with your own PIN and an email address, and review linked devices.
A longer guide, with a table of what each screen means, is WhatsApp hacked after sharing a verification code. Singapore readers can use WhatsApp hacked in Singapore.
What if you cannot receive the code?
You need a working SIM with the same number. If texts do not arrive, call your mobile carrier from another phone and ask whether your SIM was replaced or your number ported. If so, ask them to restore it, then log back in. WhatsApp makes the final decision on every account, and nobody outside WhatsApp can move it back to you.
How WhatsApp takeovers happen
- A friend or relative whose WhatsApp was already hijacked asks you to forward a code that arrived on your phone "by mistake".
- Someone pretending to be WhatsApp staff asks you for the code.
- Repeated failed verification attempts make WhatsApp call your number with the code, and the scammer tries to get it from you or from your voicemail.
Whatever the story, a request for your 6-digit code is the attack. Never share it.
What not to do after a hack
- Do not pay anyone who promises to "hack back" your WhatsApp account. Unauthorised access is a crime, and most of these offers are scams. See hiring an "ethical hacker" to recover an account.
- Do not share a login code, password or backup code with anyone, including people claiming to be platform staff.
- Do not click links in direct messages or emails warning that your WhatsApp account will be deleted. Open the app yourself instead.
- Do not trust phone numbers that claim to be platform support. Meta, for one, says it has no general public support phone line.
When professional help with a hacked WhatsApp makes sense
Most hacked WhatsApp accounts are won back through the platform's own recovery flow, so try that first and never pay anyone to "hack it back". Getting help is worth considering when you have already tried those routes, lost access to both the email and the phone number, or the account carries a business, ads or income.
AwareXone reviews your case, helps you prepare ownership evidence and works only through WhatsApp's official routes. We never ask for your password, login codes or session cookies, and we do not break into accounts. Only WhatsApp can restore access, so no outcome is guaranteed. AwareXone has handled 1,300+ account recovery and removal cases, with client names kept anonymous. Fees are confirmed after the case review.
Use Apply for Case Review and tell us the platform, what changed and what you have already tried. We reply within five hours, 9am to 11pm Malaysia time, every day.
If money was lost or you are being blackmailed
Call your bank first and report to the police or cybercrime authority in your country. In Malaysia, call the National Scam Response Centre on 997 and see how to report a hacked account in Malaysia. Reporting does not replace the platform's own recovery process, but it supports your case and gives you a reference number.
Limitations
AwareXone is an independent service provider. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or employed by Meta, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Snapchat, or other platforms unless explicitly stated.
Platform decisions remain under the control of the relevant platform. AwareXone provides documentation, support, reporting, and escalation assistance where appropriate.
We will never ask for your social media password, 2FA code, authentication cookie, or recovery code.
Related services
Account Recovery. Hacked, locked, disabled, or suspended social accounts. Case assessment and recovery assistance. Or return to the social media account recovery hub.
Common questions
How do I get my hacked WhatsApp account back?
Open WhatsApp on the phone that has your SIM, tap Log back in, and enter the 6-digit code sent to your number. This logs out every other device using the account.
WhatsApp asks for a PIN I never set. What now?
WhatsApp says that if you are asked for a two-step verification PIN you do not know, wait 7 days and try again with the SMS code.
Can AwareXone recover my WhatsApp without my SIM?
No. WhatsApp needs the registration code sent to your number, so you must control the SIM. We can review your case and help you through official routes, but cannot bypass that check.
Do you need my WhatsApp code?
Never. We do not ask for passwords, login codes, backup codes or session cookies. A request for your 6-digit code is the attack itself.
Case review
Need help with a social media account in Malaysia? Apply for Case Review.
Related recovery help
- Hacked Facebook account recovery. Steps when the email, phone or password was changed.
- Hacked Instagram account recovery. Reverse an email change and use Instagram's hacked flow.
- Hacked TikTok account recovery. Friend verification, Need more help and Report a problem.
Guides for this problem
Step-by-step articles on the situations we see most often here. Free to read, no sign-up.
WhatsApp Hacked in Singapore? Recovery & Police Advice
WhatsApp hacked in Singapore? Re-register your number, check Linked Devices, turn on two-step verification, and learn the takeover ruses SPF warns about.
WhatsApp Hacked in the UK? How to Get It Back
WhatsApp hacked in the UK? Re-register your number, turn on two-step verification, warn contacts, and report fraud to Report Fraud or your bank.