Zimbabwe’s WhatsApp account takeovers: Who’s behind the attacks?

WhatsApp account takeovers are raising concern in Zimbabwe, with users reporting being locked out of their accounts while fraudsters impersonate them and contact their friends, family and customers. The government has launched an investigation involving police cybercrime units, regulators, mobile network operators and Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company. But how are these accounts being hijacked? Who is behind the attacks, and what can be done to stop them?#DWAfricaSocialMedia#DWAfricaLinkPodcast 00:00 – Zimbabweans locked out of hacked WhatsApp accounts 01:31 – Why WhatsApp hacking is raising concern in Zimbabwe 02:14 – Victims share their experiences 04:51 – Zimbabwe launches investigation into WhatsApp hacks 06:35 – How are WhatsApp accounts being compromised? 07:49 – How WhatsApp account takeovers happen 09:39 – Can hackers bypass two-step verification? 11:39 – Who is behind the WhatsApp attacks? 14:27 – Victims describe losing control of their accounts 18:42 – Three ways to protect your WhatsApp account 20:34 – What to do if your WhatsApp account is hacked 22:00 – A tool to help Zimbabweans secure their accounts 23:49 – Why digital security matters across Africa