The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is looking into public complaints involving WhatsApp accounts that have reportedly been hacked, blocked or become inaccessible.
In a statement, MCMC said it was reviewing the complaints received and had referred related cases to Meta for clarification and appropriate action.
The regulator stressed that account takeovers and account blocking are two separate issues.
“Accounts taken over by irresponsible parties may be misused for scams, spam or activities that violate WhatsApp’s terms, which could subsequently result in the accounts being blocked by the platform,” MCMC said.
Users affected by the issue have been advised to use WhatsApp’s official channels to recover or check the status of their accounts.
MCMC also reminded users never to share verification codes or security PINs, while recommending that they activate WhatsApp’s Two-Step Verification feature.
Users should also avoid clicking suspicious links or installing unfamiliar applications.
The regulator further warned the public to be cautious of individuals or services claiming they can recover compromised WhatsApp accounts in exchange for money, personal information or verification codes.
“If the issue cannot be resolved through WhatsApp’s official channels, users may submit a complaint to MCMC for further action and for the case to be referred to Meta,” it said.
MCMC said it would continue monitoring the situation and work with the platform to protect users’ interests.
