What happens after reporting a contact on WhatsApp?

As the most used messaging application in the country, WhatsApp does not escape being a tool used by criminals to apply scams or by users who do spam. Its popularity and the fact that it is the most open application by Brazilians during the day, according to a survey by mobile time, made in 2021, causes criminals to use it to prospect potential victims. And reporting criminal or unwanted contact in the app can help with your safety. But what happens next?

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What are the most common scams on WhatsApp

According to research carried out by mobile time e opinion box, 43% of Brazilian users have already suffered attempts at scams on WhatsApp. These scams, according to the security company ESET, use strategies to deceive the user and usually have financial intentions. Despite the creativity of criminals, there are some scams that are already known and can be avoided. Meet some of them:

Account theft or cloning: The criminal tries to connect the user account WhatsApp from the victim to another cell phone. The victim receives a message, usually from accounts that use photos and names of well-known companies, asking him to enter a code, which was sent via SMS to his cell phone. This code is sent to confirm that she wants to switch her device account. Unaware of this, by reporting this code to the criminal, he is able to connect to the victim's account with full access.

Phishing: the victim is persuaded through false promotions or reports from well-known companies to click on exclusive links that directs you to fake websites. On these sites, she will leave sensitive data, or she will be directed to do download de malwares e adwares. Those software can damage the device, collect personal information without the victim knowing, display malicious advertisements or even send exclusive links automatically to all of the victim's contacts.

Ideological Falsehood: the criminal, in possession of some of the victim's data and contacts — which may have been obtained through other scams or data leaks on the internet —, using a different phone number, impersonates the victim, using his photo. The person then contacts friends and family, informing them that they had to change their number, and then asking for money to resolve an emergency.

To avoid falling for these scams in WhatsApp, it is important to always be aware and avoid clicking on exclusive links suspicious or sent by unknown contacts. Always be wary of messages sent by companies and seek other channels to confirm the veracity of information received. Also, keep two-factor authentication enabled on your WhatsApp and have strong passwords across your devices and apps.

How to report contact on WhatsApp?

The function of reporting contact in WhatsApp can help with your in-app protection. This tool is useful to protect yourself from groups or users that send inappropriate or unsolicited content. When you receive a dubious message, spam, exclusive links suspects or a contact you know is impersonating someone else trying to apply scams on WhatsApp, it is possible that you report to the company responsible for the application and they will analyze the complaint. To report a contact on WhatsApp The process is simple, check it out:

iOS

• Click on the contact's phone;
• When opening the card with the information, scroll to the bottom of the page;
• Click on the “report contact” button.

Android

• Click More Options (three dots) > More > Report.
• One will be opened pop-up with the options report and block ou Just report. If you choose to report and block, the conversation will be deleted from your device.
• Click on the option of your choice.

What happens when the complaint is made?

According to WhatsApp itself, when reporting a contact, some information is sent to the company, such as: the last five messages that the reported contact sent, the user ID or group reported, when the message was sent and what type of message it was. (text, video or image). The reported contact will not receive any notification and will not know that their account is being reviewed. 

From the complaint, the company will check if there was any point in the conversation that violates the application's terms of service and if so, the user may be banned. It is important to use this feature consciously, as a user banned from the WhatsApp, you will not be able to create an account with the same number, unless you prove that you did nothing wrong, which is bureaucratic and time-consuming.

See also:

How to monitor your children's WhatsApp.

Source: WhatsApp.

Text proofread by: iris xavier.