Whatsapp - help!

tinkle

Hello

Hoping somebody can shed some light on Whatsapp. I have had this app for quite a some time now and use it every so often. Today I started having problems. I had a text from what looked like a landline number ' Hello from WhatsApp. your code is ***-*** bt you can simply tap this link (below on txt) to verify your device.

Later in day I received a phone call from a very odd number, and it showed as 'Beaufort SC' on my phone beneath the number, I answered and it was an automated service giving me a 'verifcation code' I hung up

Later on in the day I have received the same text as above, from 2 different numbers, 1 that looks like a normal mobile and then a text from 999 99.

Sorry for long story! Does anybody know if this is a scam? If I already have whatsapp, I'm clueless as to why I'm being sent these messages, it's as if they think I'm a new user?

If you got to the end of that rant - well done!

Cheers

DUTR

I had a text from a 9999 number asking to verify, I just ignored it, whats app worked fine before I recieved it, so there was nothing to verify as far as I'm concerned.

tinkle

Thanks for your reply. I also have nothing to verify. Just odd that I've had 2 calls and 3 texts in the one day. Will just ignore.

Whataboutery

Hi everyone.

I do visit MSE from time to time but as a lurker. I came here to warn people really as this post came up in my Google Search of the terms "Whatsapp" and "Bailiff" (at the same time).

I keep numbers on my phone of people I want nothing to do with. It's the obvious thing to do (so you can choose not to answer them). My contacts list is HUGE and has saved my bacon in more ways than I can think of right now. I recently acquired a lovely shiny white iPhone (that's not the warning ;-) and a few days ago my daughter commanded me to add the app "whatsapp" so we could freely text each other all day with ease (many other inducements, none of which appealed). However, as a good parent I did as I was told.

I only ever had two chats going on..they are kind of ongoing with each individual. One my daughter and one my son. I actually felt quite sick when I opened WhatsApp today to message my daughter and there waiting for me was a "chat initiation" in my chat box from the bailiff that I dealt with almost three years ago and who I paid in full (and then some extra I found out later) but that's another story. It just said "bailiff" (because that is how I entered him in my contacts. It even had a picture of his leering face.

What is frightening about this is that I have changed my number twice since then and it is known to very few people. I am very unsociable and change it once a year to lose all the annoying people. I am not, as far as I am aware, in any sort of debt that would require his attention, but whether I am or not is not relevant. I'm here to inform.

When anyone adds the app "Whatsapp" (it is one of the most widely used apps ever and is available on every platform - you do the math) it imports their entire contacts list. This is irreversible - you can delete the contacts, delete the app, change your sim. You will remain on their contact list because they were on your list when you joined and this stays on the Whatsapp servers. I've spent hours trying to work this whole thing out.

Incredibly, even though I have changed my number twice he could still initiate chat with me (harass me). At this point it is unclear whether he actually has my new number or can just message me as he was on my contacts Either way this is potentially disastrous in many ways. From what I've read, if I had actually replied to his blank message (just his picture) then he would definitely have my new number. It would update on his contacts list. Why would my ex-bailiff send me a blank message ? I should imagine they keep a database of previous debtors and have hit upon the idea of using this app to catch up with the ones that got away, they like to keep tabs on people.

So this is really a warning about "Whatsapp". Be very careful who you are letting into your life, new number or not, when you use this app. If you google "Whatsapp" and "stalker" you'll get the general idea. I hope this post may have prevented one or two people inviting disaster back into their lives.

Best advice: do not use this app. Apparently it's really easy to spy on people, there is even a "Whatsapp Sniffer" app so one can spy on people.

Sigh, where will all this "sharing " end.

sdduk

To be honest every person on your contacts that as whatsApp on there phone will tell you

I myself have not had any problems with it and i would not put people i don't want to speak to on my contact list just in-case what happened to you

Some were on the app i think you can block people anyway and the bailiff will not have your number its just telling you they have whatsApp on there phone because it in your contacts.

J_B

Just because Baliff is in your contacts, doesn't actually mean that you are in his .... ?

I have the number of a couple of 'kids' who were at Uni with our youngest (for emergency purposes) and I see that they are in my contacts, but I'm fairly sure that I'm not in theirs.

silvercar

the bailiff will not have your number its just telling you they have whatsApp on there phone because it in your contacts.

Exactly. The bailiff won't be aware of anything necessarily.