WhatsApp Scam Email & Message Warning: How to Spot It

Last updated: July 2026

If you’ve had an email or message claiming to be from “WhatsApp” about your account being suspended, or asking for a verification code, treat it as a scam. WhatsApp doesn’t email you asking for your 6-digit verification code or your password, and it will never ask you to share that code with anyone. Anyone who does is trying to hijack your account. Never share your verification code, and don’t click links in these messages.

Want to check a message right now? Run it through ScanTheSender in seconds.

What this scam looks like

WhatsApp-related scams arrive by email, text, or inside WhatsApp itself. Common versions include:

• An email claiming your WhatsApp account has been suspended or needs “verification,” with a link to a fake login page.
• A message tricking you into sharing the 6-digit verification code WhatsApp just sent you — the code that lets someone register your number on their device and take over your account.
• A QR code you’re asked to scan, which secretly links your account to the scammer’s device.
• A message from a hijacked friend’s account, or a “family member” using a new number, creating urgency and asking for money.

An illustrative example (a made-up sample, not a real message):

“WhatsApp Security: unusual activity detected. Your account will be deactivated in 24 hours. Verify now: [link]”

How to tell if a WhatsApp email is a scam

• It asks for your verification code. WhatsApp never asks for this. Sharing it is how most account takeovers happen.
• It pressures you with a deadline (“your account closes in 24 hours”).
• The link isn’t an official WhatsApp address, or the email sender doesn’t match WhatsApp’s real domain.
• A “contact” suddenly messages from a new number asking for money or a code — their account may be compromised, or it’s an impersonator.
• You’re asked to scan a QR code you didn’t request. Only scan WhatsApp Web codes from web.whatsapp.com yourself.

What to do right now

1. Don’t share your verification code with anyone, ever — not even someone claiming to be from WhatsApp or a friend.
2. Don’t click links or scan unexpected QR codes. Close the message.
3. Turn on two-step verification in WhatsApp (Settings → Account → Two-step verification) so no one can register your number without your PIN.
4. If a “contact” asks for money or a code, verify by calling them on a number you already have. Their account may be hacked.
5. Report it. In WhatsApp, open the chat, tap the contact, and choose Report. Forward scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk (UK) and scam texts to 7726. In the US, report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

FAQ

Does WhatsApp send emails about my account being suspended? Be very cautious. WhatsApp will never email or message asking for your password or your 6-digit verification code. Any message demanding you “verify” through a link to avoid suspension is almost certainly a phishing scam.

Someone asked me to share the code I just received — is that safe? No. That 6-digit code lets someone register your number on their device. WhatsApp will never ask for it, and no genuine contact needs it. Sharing it hands over your account. Never share it with anyone.

A friend messaged from a new number asking for money — real or scam? Treat it as suspicious. Compromised and impersonated accounts are common. Call your friend on the number you already have to confirm before sending anything or sharing details.

How do I make my WhatsApp harder to hijack? Turn on two-step verification and set a PIN, never share your verification code, and check Settings → Linked Devices for anything you don’t recognise, removing what you don’t own.

Not sure about a WhatsApp email or message?

Check a suspicious WhatsApp message free — paste or screenshot it into ScanTheSender.

Related reading: see how fake job offer scams and the sextortion email scam try to catch you out.