What does it mean to receive a WhatsApp verification code without requesting it?

The fact that we spend so much time and use WhatsApp constantly not only means it's the preferred platform for many, but it also accumulates a wealth of personal information that very few other apps have.

This is because we have all kinds of conversations, both personal and work-related, and naturally, we say and send things that cybercriminals can find valuable. That's why Meta is constantly working to offer new features and protection and privacy measures with the goal of making the app as secure as possible.

And, for example, one of its key measures is the verification code so you can log in on a new device or reinstall the app for whatever reason. This six-digit code is sent via SMS to the number associated with your WhatsApp account and helps prevent other people from using your phone number to activate WhatsApp on their devices.

You'll only receive a verification code if you entered your phone number to open your WhatsApp account on a new device. Therefore, if you receive an SMS that you didn't request, this indicates that someone is trying to access WhatsApp using your phone number.

It may be by mistake, or it may be a scammer trying to break into your WhatsApp account to either obtain information from your conversations or impersonate you to commit all kinds of fraud against your contacts.

Fortunately, this has an easy solution. If you don't want anything to happen, the best thing you can do is ignore it, don't share it with anyone, and don't do anything with this code. Without this code, no one trying to verify your number will be able to complete the verification process or use it on WhatsApp. This means you still have control over your WhatsApp account.

Additionally, if you haven't already, it's recommended that you enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security. Finally, if this is something that concerns you, you can contact WhatsApp support to inform them of what happened, although the company doesn't have enough information to identify the person trying to access your account.