Zimbabwe MP loses WhatsApp account amid hacking reports

A SERVING Zimbabwean Member of Parliament has lost control of his WhatsApp account amid reports of account takeovers affecting entrepreneurs, businesses and other mobile users, raising concerns about the security of a platform widely used for commercial and personal communication.

"Just lost my Econet WhatsApp in the morning," Charlton Hwende wrote on X, revealing that his account was linked to the mobile network. He said an Econet employee who assisted him had also lost her number the previous month.

The reports have raised particular concern among WhatsApp Business users, some of whom claim they were locked out of their accounts despite having two-step verification enabled.

Entrepreneur Kudakwashe Musasiwa said he lost access to his account despite not clicking on suspicious links or sharing verification codes. He said the problem stopped after he moved his WhatsApp operations away from Econet-linked numbers.

However, his experience does not establish that Econet was responsible for the reported account compromises.

Other users have reported receiving repeated verification codes, ignoring requests to authorise unfamiliar devices and subsequently losing access to their accounts. One business user said attempts to recover an account through WhatsApp support had failed.

Engineer and musician Hillzy suggested that unauthorised call forwarding could be diverting WhatsApp verification calls to attackers, while ICT commentator KloudCoder raised concerns about the security of one-time passwords and called on the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) to address the reports.

Neither explanation has been independently established as the cause of the reported incidents.

The potential consequences are significant, as criminals who take over WhatsApp accounts can impersonate their owners, contact friends and customers under trusted identities, and solicit money from unsuspecting victims.

Businesses that rely on the platform to manage customer relationships, communicate with clients and coordinate transactions also risk operational disruptions and the exposure of sensitive information.

The concerns have extended to workplace communications, with ZiFM Stereo News reporting an apparent account takeover involving an internal WhatsApp group. An unfamiliar profile using a United States number and a colleague's identity details reportedly gained access before being removed.

The incidents have raised questions about the security of mobile network services, WhatsApp's account verification processes and the measures available to affected users.

Econet, other mobile network operators, WhatsApp, POTRAZ and law enforcement authorities face growing calls to establish whether the reported incidents are connected, identify the methods being used to compromise accounts and clarify what steps are being taken to protect customers.

Although the precise cause of the reported takeovers remains unclear, determining whether the incidents involve compromised verification codes, unauthorised call forwarding, SIM-related attacks or other methods will be essential to preventing further losses.

For businesses and individuals who depend on WhatsApp daily, a clear technical explanation and effective recovery mechanisms are critical to reducing the risks of impersonation, financial fraud and prolonged loss of access to their accounts.