# Lies About You in a WhatsApp Group: What to Do > Someone spreading lies about you in a Malaysian WhatsApp group? Save evidence, ask an admin to delete, report the group, and see a lawyer for defamation. - URL: https://www.awarexone.com/research/remove-whatsapp-group-defamation-malaysia - Author: Md Shariar Shanaz Shuvon, Founder & CEO, AwareXone - Published: 2026-10-05 - Topics: WhatsApp, Content removal, Malaysia - Related service: Content removal: https://www.awarexone.com/social-media-recovery/social-media-content-removal ## Short answer WhatsApp cannot remove defamatory group messages for you because it cannot read them. Save screenshots and a chat backup first, then ask a group admin to delete the messages, report the member or group in the app, and block or exit. For a legal claim in Malaysia, speak to a lawyer. For threats, make a police report. ## Summary - WhatsApp cannot read or delete group messages on your behalf, because chats are end-to-end encrypted, so the people in the group hold the only copies. - Save the evidence first: screenshots showing the group name, the sender, the date and the message, plus a backup of the chat, before anyone deletes it. - A group admin can delete another member's message for everyone within a limited window, so a calm private request to an admin is often the fastest route. - Reporting the group sends WhatsApp up to five recent messages and the group ID, nobody is told, and WhatsApp decides whether to act. - For a defamation claim, speak to a lawyer, and for threats go to the police; this article is general information, not legal advice. - Do not reply in the group, repost the claims elsewhere, file false reports or pay anyone who promises to make the messages disappear. A friend forwards you a screenshot. Someone in a family, residents', school or work WhatsApp group has been telling everyone something false about you. It might be a claim that you cheated a customer, stole from an employer or did something you never did. People search for this as "fitnah dalam group WhatsApp", "saman fitnah WhatsApp" or "WhatsApp群组诽谤我", and the feeling behind every version is the same. The short answer: WhatsApp itself cannot take the messages down, because it cannot see them. What works is saving proof first, asking an admin to delete the messages, reporting the member or group in the app, and, if the damage is serious, getting advice from a lawyer or going to the police. This guide covers what each of those routes can and cannot do in Malaysia, an evidence checklist to complete before anything disappears, and the reactions that tend to make things worse. Last checked: 5 October 2026. ## Can You Get Defamatory WhatsApp Group Messages Removed in Malaysia? Sometimes, but not by asking WhatsApp. Group chats are end-to-end encrypted, so WhatsApp has no copy it can review or delete. The realistic route to removal is a group admin, who can delete another member's message for everyone within a short window. Before that, save screenshots and a backup, because a deleted message cannot be brought back. You can also report the member or the group in the app, which may lead WhatsApp to ban an account but does not erase what people already read. For defamation claims in Malaysia, a lawyer is the right person to ask; for threats, go to the police. ## What WhatsApp Can and Cannot Do About Group Messages WhatsApp's page on [end-to-end encryption](https://faq.whatsapp.com/820124435853543) says no one outside the chat, not even WhatsApp, can read, listen to or share your personal messages. That protects you every day. It also means WhatsApp cannot open a group, find the lies and remove them on request. What WhatsApp can do is act on reports. Its page on [reporting and blocking](https://faq.whatsapp.com/414631957536067) says it might ban accounts that break its Terms of Service, but that a report will not necessarily lead to a ban or any other action. It adds that the only way to report someone is the in-app process, that contacting WhatsApp another way will not speed up a review, and that it will acknowledge your report but will not contact you again. *Who can act on defamatory WhatsApp group messages, based on WhatsApp Help Center pages at the time of writing.* | What you want | Who can do it | What to expect | | --- | --- | --- | | Delete the false messages for everyone | A group admin, or the person who sent them | Only possible within a limited time after sending; the chat shows that a message was deleted | | Remove the person from the group | A group admin | The person leaves the group but can still repeat the claims elsewhere | | Ban the account from WhatsApp | WhatsApp, after an in-app report | Not promised; WhatsApp decides and will not report back to you | | A retraction, apology or court order | The poster, voluntarily, or a court | Needs legal advice; outcomes depend on the facts and the law | | Erase what members already saw or saved | Nobody | Screenshots and forwards stay on people's phones | ## Save the Evidence Before Anything Is Deleted Capture first, act second. WhatsApp's [message deletion page](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1370476507114859) says messages deleted by a group admin are not recoverable and cannot be appealed, and that a deleted message cannot be brought back unless it was included in a backup. If an admin cleans up the group before you have screenshots, your proof may be gone for good. WhatsApp's own guidance for anyone who may involve the authorities is to take screenshots of the relevant messages, calls or profile details, and to back up a copy of your chat history so you have a record if asked. If you have already left the group, ask a member you trust to capture the messages for you instead of rejoining. - The group name and, if visible, the group icon and member count, in the same screenshot as the messages. - Each false message, with the sender's name or number and the date and time showing. - Voice notes, images or documents that repeat the claim, saved to your own device. - Any forwards of the claim into other groups, with the "Forwarded" label visible. - Who saw it: a short list of members, especially employers, customers or relatives whose opinion of you matters. - Any real harm that followed, such as a cancelled order, a message from your employer or customers asking about it. - Your own backup of the chat history, made through WhatsApp's backup settings. - A dated note in your own words: when it started, who posted, and what you have done so far. - Report reference numbers from MCMC or the police, once you have them. Our [evidence guide for harassment reports](https://www.awarexone.com/research/collect-evidence-before-reporting-harassment) goes further on how to store screenshots so they hold up when a lawyer or officer looks at them later. ## Ask a Group Admin to Delete the Messages An admin is usually the quickest way to get the lies off the screen. WhatsApp's [group safety page](https://faq.whatsapp.com/424124173736394) says admins can remove members, delete problematic messages, turn on "Send for admin review" so posts are checked first, and dismiss other admins who are causing harm. Timing matters. WhatsApp's deletion page says group admins have two days after someone else sends a message to delete it for everyone. The message is then replaced with "This message was deleted by admin" followed by the admin's name, and members can see which admin removed it. After that window, the admin can remove the person but not the old messages. 1. Finish your screenshots and backup first. 2. Message an admin privately, not in the group. Keep it short and factual: which messages, why they are false, and what you are asking for. 3. Ask for the messages to be deleted for everyone and, if it keeps happening, for "Send for admin review" to be turned on. 4. Do not threaten the admin or demand they punish the poster. Many admins are neighbours or relatives who simply did not notice. 5. Save the admin's reply. A refusal or no answer is itself useful context later. If the person spreading the claims is the admin, WhatsApp says only other admins can remove an admin, and that if you are not an admin, leaving the group may be your best option. ## Report the Message, the Member or the Group WhatsApp offers three reporting levels inside a group, and its group safety page explains when each fits. A report never notifies the person or the group. Here is how they compare. *WhatsApp group reporting options, from WhatsApp Help Center pages read on 5 October 2026.* | Report option | When WhatsApp says to use it | What WhatsApp receives | | --- | --- | --- | | Report a message | A single message contains problematic content | The flagged message, the sender's user ID, when it was sent and its type | | Report a member | One person keeps sending problematic content | The reported user ID, when messages were sent and their type | | Report the group | The whole group is being used for illegal activity, hate speech or coordinated harm | Up to five of the last messages sent to you in the group, plus the group ID | Two things are worth knowing before you tap. WhatsApp's [group safety page](https://faq.whatsapp.com/424124173736394) shows a "Report group" screen with a separate tick box for "Exit group and clear chat", so reporting on its own does not remove you, you choose whether to leave at the same time. And because WhatsApp only receives recent messages, a report made weeks later may not include the false claims at all. Report soon, and only for what actually happened. > Warning: **Report honestly, once.** Ask friends to report only if they genuinely saw the messages, and never coordinate a wave of reports or file one under a category that does not fit. WhatsApp says a report does not necessarily lead to action, however many people send one. Lawful content you simply disagree with will usually stay up. ## Block, Exit and Stop Being Re-added You cannot block a group, but you can block the people in it. WhatsApp's [block and report page](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1142481766359885) says blocking stops someone's messages, calls and status updates reaching you, but does not stop you seeing their messages in a group you both stay in. Its advice is not to stay in groups with people you do not want to communicate with. - Block the poster from their profile, and tick the report box if you have not reported them yet. - Use "Exit group" once your evidence is saved. Reporting the group also removes you. - In WhatsApp's privacy settings, open Groups and choose "My contacts except..." to stop that person adding you to new groups. WhatsApp's [group privacy page](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1131457590844955) explains the options. - Remember that this setting does not stop someone sending you a group invite link. Joining through a link is always your choice. If your number was also posted in the group and strangers have started messaging you, our guide on [what to do when a WhatsApp group shares your number](https://www.awarexone.com/research/whatsapp-group-sharing-my-number-what-to-do) covers that side. ## Defamation in Malaysia: Where a Lawyer Fits > Note: **General information, not legal advice.** This section describes the options in general terms. Whether a message is defamatory, what defences apply and what a claim might involve depend on the facts. Speak to a lawyer practising in Malaysia before you act on anything here. Broadly, defamation is a false statement that damages someone's reputation in the eyes of others. A private group can still count, because the people reading it are others. MCMC's [online content complaint guidance](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/faqs/online-content-problems-2024/what-are-the-steps-required-for-me-to-lodge-compla) lists defamation under the Penal Code and the Defamation Act 1957, and names two routes for it: the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and civil action. Civil action means a claim through the courts, usually with a lawyer. A lawyer can tell you whether the messages are likely to meet the legal test, whether a letter asking for a retraction and apology makes sense, and whether the cost and stress of a claim are worth it in your case. Sometimes the honest advice is to let it go. Legal claims can have time limits, so do not wait months before asking. ## When to Go to the Police or MCMC Go to the police first if the messages include a threat to your safety or property. MCMC's [complaint page](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint) lists property and life threats under the Penal Code, enforced by PDRM. PDRM's [public FAQ](https://rmp2u.rmp.gov.my/faq) says a report can be made at any police station and encourages people to give complete information. If you feel in immediate danger, WhatsApp itself says to contact local emergency services. Our guide to [making a police report for online harassment](https://www.awarexone.com/research/police-report-online-harassment-malaysia) explains what to bring. MCMC handles certain online content complaints, and its complaint page includes a category for content that is menacing, obscene, false, indecent or offensive. Its FAQ sets out the order it expects: 1. Complain first to the content owner or moderator. In a WhatsApp group, that means the admins, and then WhatsApp's in-app report. 2. Then lodge a complaint at aduan.mcmc.gov.my with detailed information and supporting documents, including copies of what you sent to the moderator or other agencies. 3. MCMC acknowledges the complaint with a reference number. Keep it for any follow-up. MCMC is clear that it is not the only agency for online content and that matters such as defamation and threats belong with PDRM or the courts. An MCMC complaint does not promise removal, and it cannot pull messages off members' phones. If the lies are being sent from a number or account that was taken from you, that is also a computer security incident. CyberSecurity Malaysia's [Cyber999 service](https://www.cybersecurity.my/portal-main/services/cyber999-overview) is the national point of contact for reporting those, by online form, email, phone or its app. If someone has set up a different number pretending to be you, see our guide to [a fake WhatsApp number pretending to be you](https://www.awarexone.com/research/remove-fake-whatsapp-number-pretending-to-be-me). ## What Not to Do, Even When You Are Angry - Do not reply in the group with your own accusations. It spreads the claim to people who missed it and could expose you to a complaint of your own. - Do not repost the messages or name the person in other groups or on social media. - Do not message the poster with threats, or turn up at their home or workplace. - Do not file false reports, report under the wrong category or organise mass reporting. - Do not try to find out who is behind an unknown number by tracking, hacking or tricking them. Leave identification to the police or a court. - Do not pay apps or services that claim to recover deleted chats or read someone else's WhatsApp. WhatsApp says admin-deleted messages are not recoverable, and MCMC lists hacking as an offence under the Computer Crimes Act 1997. - Do not pay anyone who promises to make the messages disappear. Nobody outside the group can delete them. ## When a Case Review Makes Sense For most people, the steps above are the right ones: evidence, an admin, an honest report, and a lawyer or the police where the harm is serious. A review helps when the same claims have spread beyond WhatsApp to a Facebook post, a TikTok video or a website, where platform reporting forms do apply. Our guide to [removing a Facebook post that defames you](https://www.awarexone.com/research/remove-facebook-post-defaming-me-malaysia) covers one of those. SocialSafe by AwareXone reviews the case first, prepares rights-based reports through official platform channels only, and tells you plainly when a report is unlikely to succeed. It does not give legal advice and works alongside your lawyer where you have one. You can see how our [content removal service](https://www.awarexone.com/social-media-recovery/social-media-content-removal) works, and our [Trust Center](https://www.awarexone.com/trust) explains what we will and will not do. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Will the person know I reported them on WhatsApp? No. WhatsApp says the user or group is not notified when you report them. If you report the group, you are removed from it, which members may notice. ### Can WhatsApp recover messages that were already deleted from the group? No. WhatsApp says messages deleted by a group admin are not recoverable, and it cannot restore deleted messages for you. Only a backup or a screenshot made earlier keeps a copy. ### Is it defamation if the group is private? It can be, because other people still read the messages. Whether it meets the legal test depends on the facts, so ask a lawyer in Malaysia; this is general information, not legal advice. ### Can I sue someone for defamation over WhatsApp messages in Malaysia? MCMC lists civil action as a route for defamation under the Defamation Act 1957. A lawyer can tell you whether your evidence supports a claim and whether it is worth pursuing. ### Should I report a WhatsApp group defaming me to MCMC? MCMC asks you to complain to the moderator or use the platform's report option first, then lodge at aduan.mcmc.gov.my with your evidence. For defamation itself, it lists PDRM and civil action through the courts. ## Official sources - [WhatsApp Help Center: About reporting and blocking on WhatsApp (read 5 October 2026)](https://faq.whatsapp.com/414631957536067) - [WhatsApp Help Center: How to stay safe in groups on WhatsApp (read 5 October 2026)](https://faq.whatsapp.com/424124173736394) - [WhatsApp Help Center: How to block and report someone (read 5 October 2026)](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1142481766359885) - [WhatsApp Help Center: How to delete messages (read 5 October 2026)](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1370476507114859) - [WhatsApp Help Center: How to change group privacy settings (read 5 October 2026)](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1131457590844955) - [WhatsApp Help Center: About end-to-end encryption (read 5 October 2026)](https://faq.whatsapp.com/820124435853543) - [MCMC: Make a complaint (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/make-a-complaint/make-a-complaint) - [MCMC: Steps to lodge a complaint about content on the Internet (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/faqs/online-content-problems-2024/what-are-the-steps-required-for-me-to-lodge-compla) - [PDRM (RMP2U): Frequently asked questions (read 5 October 2026)](https://rmp2u.rmp.gov.my/faq) - [CyberSecurity Malaysia: Cyber999 Cyber Incident Response Center (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.cybersecurity.my/portal-main/services/cyber999-overview) --- AwareXone is an independent Malaysia-based provider, not affiliated with any platform. The platform makes the final decision on every account. AwareXone never asks for passwords, OTP codes, backup codes or session cookies.