WhatsApp Hacked? The "I Sent You a 6-Digit Code by Mistake" Scam and How to Get Your Account Back

Short answer: the 6-digit code WhatsApp sends you by SMS or call is the key to your account. Anyone who asks for it, even a friend, is trying to register your number on their phone. If you already gave it, open WhatsApp, verify your number again with a new code (this logs the hacker out), and turn on two-step verification. If WhatsApp asks for a PIN or password you never set, the hacker set it, and you may have to wait 7 days.

How the "6-digit code" scam works

1. The scammer types your phone number into WhatsApp on their own phone. WhatsApp sends a registration code to you.
2. Seconds later, a message arrives from a contact you know, often a friend, a church member or your group admin: "Hi, I sent you a 6-digit code by mistake, please forward it to me." That contact's account was hijacked earlier.
3. You send the code. The scammer now has your WhatsApp. They often turn on two-step verification with their own PIN so you cannot get back in quickly.
4. They message everyone in your contacts and groups in your name.

Ghana's Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has described the versions it sees here:

• A "group admin" saying the group platform is being upgraded and you need to share the code you receive.
• A call claiming a security code has been sent "to stop your account being hacked".
• Someone claiming they sent you mobile money and you need the code "to access the funds".
• Links posted in groups asking members to "update their information" by entering the code.

In May 2024, the CSA said it had received 187 reports of WhatsApp account takeovers by April that year, equal to its total for the whole of 2023.

Why the hacker wants your account: the fake friend asking for MoMo

Once inside, the scammer uses your name and your chat history. Typical messages your contacts receive:

• "Please I'm stranded, send me GH¢800 on this number, my MoMo is blocked. I'll refund tonight."
• "My sister is in hospital, help me with something small."
• "I have a good investment, I've been earning every week, let me connect you."
• "I'm selling my fridge and TV because I'm travelling, very cheap."
• And more 6-digit code requests, so the chain continues.

The money always goes to a number that is not yours, often with a name that does not match. In one case reported by the Ghanaian Times, two suspects were arrested after taking over the WhatsApp account of a Ghanaian living in the US and asking friends and family for money, with losses reported at more than GH¢200,000.

The rule for everyone: if a friend asks for money on WhatsApp, call them on a normal phone call or ask a question only they would know before sending anything. Voice notes can be old or faked.

How to turn on two-step verification

Two-step verification means a hacker with your 6-digit code still cannot register your number without a second secret only you know.

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings, then Account, then Two-step verification.
2. Turn it on and create your secret. WhatsApp announced in August 2026 that it is upgrading this from a six-digit PIN to a full password that can mix letters, numbers and symbols. Depending on your app version you may still see a PIN.
3. Add an email address when asked. If you ever forget the PIN or password, WhatsApp can send a reset link to that email immediately instead of making you wait.
4. Never share this PIN or password. The CSA's advice is to treat your verification code like a password and share it with no one.

How to set up a passkey

A passkey lets you verify your account with your fingerprint, face or screen lock instead of a code. WhatsApp said in August 2026 that more than a billion people have already set one up.

1. Go to Settings, then Account, then Passkeys.
2. Follow the prompts and confirm with your fingerprint, face or phone screen lock.

Also check Settings, then Linked devices. If you see a computer or browser you do not recognise, log it out.

How to recover a stolen WhatsApp account

These steps follow WhatsApp's Help Centre:

1. Keep your SIM. Make sure the number is still working on your phone. If it is not, go to your network (MTN, Telecel or AT) with your Ghana Card, because a SIM swap may be part of the attack.
2. Open WhatsApp and verify your number again. If you were logged out, enter your number and the 6-digit code that arrives by SMS or call. Re-registering automatically logs out every device that was using your account. Changing a password alone does not remove an intruder; re-verifying your number does.
3. If WhatsApp asks for a two-step PIN or password you never set, the hacker set it. If you added an email earlier, tap Forgot PIN and reset it by email. If not, WhatsApp says you have to wait 7 days before you can sign in without the PIN.
4. Do not reinstall over and over. Deleting and reinstalling WhatsApp does not reset two-step verification.
5. Turn on two-step verification and a passkey as soon as you are back in, and check Linked devices.
6. Contact WhatsApp from inside the app under Settings, then Help, if you cannot get back in.

Warn your contacts straight away

While you wait, the hacker may still be messaging people. Post on Facebook, Instagram or another WhatsApp number: "My WhatsApp on 024XXXXXXX was hacked. Do not send money or codes to anyone using it." Ask family to forward it to the groups you belong to. The CSA specifically asks people to warn friends and family, especially those less familiar with online scams.

What to do if you or a friend already sent money

1. Call your MoMo provider or bank immediately and give the receiving number, the amount and the time. Quick reports give the best chance of stopping the money.
2. Report to the Cyber Security Authority: call or text 292, WhatsApp 0501603111, or email report@csa.gov.gh.
3. Report at the nearest police station and keep the reference.
4. Keep screenshots of the chats and the MoMo receipt.

Then check a number, handle or website on TrustCheck to see if others have reported the same MoMo number, and report it to warn the next person. Our guide Is this number a scam? explains what to look for.