Is this account alert from WhatsApp a scam?
No. WhatsApp is a legitimate messaging app used by millions of Australians. The scams travel through it rather than from it: 'Hi Mum' messages from unknown numbers posing as family in trouble, and requests to hand over the six-digit verification code that unlocks your account. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real WhatsApp message from a fake.
Genuine WhatsApp links lead to whatsapp.com — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is exactly what a real WhatsApp message looks like, the scams currently circulating in its name, the red flags that give a fake away, and a real example to compare against. Got a message in front of you? Check it now for an instant verdict.
What a real WhatsApp message looks like
Genuine messages from WhatsApp link to whatsapp.com. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- WhatsApp never sends SMS from any Australian mobile number to ask you to verify an account
- Real WhatsApp verification codes are shown only inside the app after you request them yourself
- WhatsApp does not email you links or codes; all account activity happens inside the official app downloaded from the App Store or Google Play
- A genuine WhatsApp message always shows the contact’s saved name or the number you already have in your phone, not an unknown Australian number claiming to be a relative
What WhatsApp will never do
- Send you an SMS from an Australian mobile number asking you to verify your account
- Email you links or verification codes; account activity happens only inside the official app from the App Store or Google Play
- Ask you to read out or forward a six-digit verification code; no legitimate service ever needs a code that was sent to your phone
- Contact you from an unknown number claiming to be support or a family member; genuine messages show the saved name or number already in your contacts
Common WhatsApp scams
- Unknown number texts you pretending to be your child or parent in distress and asks for money or gift cards
- Scammer claims they lost their phone and need a 6-digit WhatsApp verification code you just received
- Message arrives from a new number saying a family member’s account has been hacked and you must forward the code
Red flags to watch for
- Sender is an unknown Australian mobile number you have never saved
- Message asks you to share a WhatsApp verification code you just received
- Urgent request for money or gift cards from someone claiming to be family but using a different number
- Any link or attachment that claims to be from WhatsApp support
WhatsApp scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating WhatsApp typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
Hi Mum, this is my new number, my phone got smashed. I need to pay a bill before 5pm and my banking app is locked out on the old phone. Can you transfer $500 to a friend's account for me? I'll fix you up tonight, promise x
What gives it away:
- An unknown number claiming to be family, plus an urgent money request, is the signature 'Hi Mum' pattern; the affection and small talk are part of the script
- The money goes to a 'friend's account' because the scammer cannot use an account in your child's name
- Calling your child on their existing saved number settles it in one ring; a broken phone rarely means a lost SIM
A WhatsApp message, sometimes from a contact whose account was already taken over: 'So sorry, I accidentally typed your number when logging in. A 6-digit code just came to your phone by SMS. Can you send it through? I'm locked out until you do.'
What gives it away:
- That code is the key to YOUR WhatsApp account; whoever types it in takes the account over, along with your chats and contacts
- Nobody can legitimately receive their own login code on your phone; the story makes no technical sense
- Even a saved friend's name proves nothing here, because hijacked accounts run this exact script on everyone in the contact list
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious WhatsApp text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from WhatsApp
WhatsApp's real website is whatsapp.com and the official app is the WhatsApp. Reach WhatsApp through those channels, never through the details inside a message you're unsure about.
- Don't reply, send money, or share any code, no matter how urgent the story sounds
- Contact the family member or friend on the number already saved in your phone, by ordinary call if needed; a real emergency survives a one-minute check
- For anything about your WhatsApp account itself, open the official app and go to Settings > Help, or type whatsapp.com into your browser yourself
- Never enter or forward a verification code you did not request; deleting the message costs you nothing if it was genuine
If you have been scammed in WhatsApp's name
Clicked the link, paid, or shared details? Act now. The first hour matters more than anything else you do later.
- If you shared a verification code, try to log back in to WhatsApp straight away with your own number; re-verifying can push the scammer out, and turn on two-step verification in Settings once you are back in
- Warn your contacts immediately from another channel, because the hijacked account will start messaging them next
- If you transferred money, call your bank now to try to stop or recall the payment and dispute any card charges
- If you shared identity documents, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) for free identity support
- Report the scam to Scamwatch and ReportCyber using the links below, and forward the scam SMS to 7226 so carriers can block the number
Where to report a scam impersonating WhatsApp
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating WhatsApp? Report it. It helps authorities and carriers shut the campaign down for everyone who gets the next one.
- Scamwatch — Report the scam to the ACCC's national scam service.
- ReportCyber — Report cybercrime and financial loss to the police.
- ACMA — Complain about scam texts and spam SMS, email or calls.
- Forward to 7226 (SCAM) — Forward the scam SMS to short code 7226 so carriers can block the source.
- IDCARE — Free identity and cyber support if your details were taken.
Latest WhatsApp scams in 2026
The 'Hi Mum' family-impersonation play remains the defining WhatsApp scam in Australia, and it keeps evolving: openers have grown chattier, the 'new number' story now comes with photos or voice notes, and the ask has shifted from gift cards toward direct transfers to a 'friend's account'. Running beside it is verification-code theft, where a stranger, or a hijacked friend, begs you to forward a six-digit code, then walks off with your account and repeats the trick on your contacts. Both depend on the same reflex: helping family fast. The habit that defeats them is one call to the number you already have saved, and a flat rule that codes sent to your phone are never shared with anyone.
Frequently asked questions
I got a text from WhatsApp asking for a verification code — is it a scam?
WhatsApp never sends SMS verification codes. Any text claiming to be from WhatsApp and asking for a code is a scam.
My child just texted from a new number saying they need money — could it be real?
Family members will not ask for urgent money transfers from a new number. Contact them through a known channel before sending anything.
How do I know if a WhatsApp message is really from a friend?
Only trust messages from numbers already saved in your contacts. If in doubt, call the person on a known number to confirm.
Where should I report a fake WhatsApp message?
Forward the message to 7226 and report it at scamwatch.gov.au or cyber.gov.au.
What is WhatsApp's real website?
WhatsApp's only official domain is whatsapp.com, and the genuine app comes only from the App Store or Google Play. WhatsApp does not email you links or codes, so treat any 'WhatsApp' link arriving by email or SMS as fake. For support, use Settings > Help inside the app or type whatsapp.com yourself.
Someone got into my WhatsApp account. How do I get it back?
Reinstall or reopen WhatsApp and sign in with your own phone number; entering the fresh verification code sent to your SIM ends the scammer's session. Then enable two-step verification in Settings and tell your contacts from another channel to ignore any messages sent while the account was hijacked. Report what happened to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and, if money was lost, to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au).
Related scam types
Scams impersonating WhatsApp usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other social names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- Text or SMS scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Account or identity takeover scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Where to report a scam (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with WhatsApp through an official channel.