Older parents and young users are the people scammers target most on WhatsApp. Sit with them for ten minutes and change a few settings on their phone; then teach three simple rules. Everything below is free and built into WhatsApp.
Step 1: run the Privacy checkup
Open Settings › Privacy › Privacy checkup. It walks through the main choices one screen at a time: who can contact them, who can see their personal details, adding more privacy to chats and adding more protection to the account. Use it as your checklist.
Step 2: stop strangers calling and adding
- Silence unknown callers: Settings › Privacy › Calls › turn on. Foreign "police" video calls will no longer ring. (details)
- Groups: Settings › Privacy › Groups › My contacts. No more spam "investment" groups. (details)
Step 3: hide personal details from strangers
In Settings › Privacy, set Profile photo, About and Last seen and online to My contacts. Strangers then cannot copy their photo to make fake accounts. (details)
Step 4: protect the account
- Turn on two-step verification and add an email you (the helper) can access, so you can help if they forget the PIN.
- Set a screen lock on the phone itself.
- Check Settings › Linked devices: remove any computer they don't recognise (details).
Step 5: make it easy to use
- Add family to Favourites so calling children is one tap.
- Increase text size (language and font size) and set the app language they read best.
- Turn off auto-download on mobile data to save data and storage.
Three rules to teach
- Never share a code. No real bank, company, relative or WhatsApp itself needs the 6-digit code, OTP or PIN.
- Pause before paying. "Son in hospital, send money now" or "your account will be blocked" messages are tricks. Call the family member on their known number first.
- Don't open strange files or links. Especially .apk files, "lottery" or "KYC update" links, and video calls from unknown numbers.
Write these three rules on paper and keep it near the phone. More examples: WhatsApp scam messages.
For children and teens
- WhatsApp's minimum age is 13 in India and most countries (it can be higher in some countries).
- Apply steps 2 to 4 on their phone too, and talk openly: they should tell you if someone asks for photos, money or secrecy.
- Show them how to block and report, and that doing so is never rude.
If something already went wrong
- Money lost in India: call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in as fast as possible, and call the bank.
- Account taken over: follow recover a hacked account.
This is GroupChatOn’s own easy guide. We are not WhatsApp and are not linked with WhatsApp or Meta. WhatsApp sometimes changes its menus: if a button looks different on your phone, update WhatsApp from the Play Store or App Store.
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