The Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service has issued a formal public safety alert concerning a surge in WhatsApp account hijacking incidents. According to the official police statement released on their social media channels and reported by Starr FM, scammers are employng social engineering tactics to deceive victims into revealing six digit verification codes sent to their mobile devices.
Technical investigators from the Cybercrime Unit explain that the fraud often begins with a message from a contact whose account has already been compromised. These messages frequently claim that a code was sent to the victim by mistake and request that the victim forwards the number to the sender. Starr FM reports that once the hacker obtains this code, they immediately take control of the victim's account and lock out the legitimate owner.
The Ghana Police Service notes that these hijacked accounts are subsequently used to solicit money from the victim's family and friends under various pretenses. A Citi Newsroom report corroborates this warning, highlighting that the perpetrators often fabricate stories about family emergencies or urgent financial needs to convince unsuspecting contacts to send mobile money payments.
To prevent further victimization, the Cybercrime Unit recommends that all users activate two step verification features within their messaging applications. This security layer requires a personal identification number that is known only to the user, making it significantly harder for unauthorized individuals to gain access even if they possess the verification code. This guidance was also detailed in a public advisory shared by the National Cyber Security Authority.
The police statement further advises the public never to share verification codes with anyone, regardless of the sender's identity or the perceived urgency of the situation. Individuals who believe their accounts have been compromised are encouraged to report the incident to the Cybercrime Unit for technical assistance and to alert their contacts through alternative communication channels.