Guide · Safety · For the owner whose number gets messages claiming to be WhatsApp or Meta
Is that message really from WhatsApp? The official WhatsApp Business chat, the scam signs WhatsApp lists, suspicious links and files, and blocking floods of unknown messages
A shop's WhatsApp number is printed on signs, receipts and ads, so scammers find it too. Some messages claim to come from WhatsApp itself, or from Meta, and want a tap, a code or a payment. WhatsApp's own Help Center explains how to recognise the real official chats, the warning signs it lists, what its suspicious link and file warnings mean, and a setting that blocks floods of messages from unknown accounts.
Published 14 October 2026
The one official WhatsApp Business chat
WhatsApp's article About the official WhatsApp Business account says the WhatsApp Business app has one official chat account. WhatsApp uses it to share news, tips and information that help you make the most of the app. The article says it may not be available in your area yet.
- How it looks
- It is marked with the verified badge and has the description "Official WhatsApp Business account".
- The system message
- A chat from it shows: "This is an official WhatsApp Business account. Tap to learn more."
- One way only
- You can't call it or send it messages, and it won't ask you to share any personal information.
- Anything else is a scam
- A message from an account without the verified badge that claims to be WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business is a scam. WhatsApp says never to reply, and to report and block the number.
If you'd rather not get the tips, the article says you can archive or block the chat at any time, and unblock it later to get them again. In some rare cases WhatsApp might still send important and timely information about your account even after you block it.
WhatsApp's four official chat accounts
WhatsApp's article About the official WhatsApp chat account names the official chats WhatsApp runs:
- The main official chat, with the description "Official WhatsApp Account". It shares what's new and tips. You can't call it or message it.
- WhatsApp Support
- Helps you when you need help with your account.
- WhatsApp Surveys
- Asks for feedback to help improve WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp Business
- The official chat in the WhatsApp Business app described above.
The same rule applies: an account without the verified badge that claims to be WhatsApp is a scam. To contact WhatsApp yourself, the article says to open Settings, then Help > Contact Us.
See also
The warning signs WhatsApp lists
WhatsApp's article About suspicious messages and scams lists clues that a message is suspicious or that the sender can't be trusted. Look out for a sender who:
- Writes carelessly
- Typos or grammatical mistakes.
- Sends you to a link
- Asks you to tap a link, activate a new feature through a link, or download an app.
- Asks for details
- Asks for personal information such as credit card or bank account numbers, your birth date or passwords.
- Wants it passed on
- Asks you to forward a message.
- Asks for money
- Asks for money, or claims you have to pay to use WhatsApp.
- Pretends
- Pretends to be someone you know.
- Offers a prize or a deal
- Writes about the lottery, gambling, a job, an investment or a loan.
- Builds trust first
- Chats with you to gain your trust before asking for personal information.
The article adds that WhatsApp doesn't charge people to use it. If someone asks for payment to use WhatsApp, or offers to unban your account in exchange for payment, they are likely after your financial or personal information. It also names common tactics: romance scams, fake job offers, fake investments, and impersonation, including scammers who pretend to be a well-known business or company.
See also
What WhatsApp shows about an unknown sender
The same article says that when someone who isn't saved in your contacts messages you for the first time, WhatsApp shows whether you have groups in common and which country their phone number is registered in. You can then decide to reply, add them as a contact, block them or report them. WhatsApp may show the same details when you message someone who isn't in your contacts for the first time.
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WhatsApp's four steps when a message looks wrong
WhatsApp's article How to protect yourself from suspicious messages and scams sets out four steps:
- 1. Pause and think
- Is it an unknown number? Are they rushing you? Are they threatening you, or asking you to trust them? Are they asking you to transfer money or share a password, PIN or personal information?
- 2. Stop the conversation
- Hang up the call or stop replying. If you can't verify who they are, don't share personal or financial information.
- 3. Block and report
- Block the sender so they can't contact you again, and report them to WhatsApp.
- 4. Update your settings
- Adjust your privacy settings to control who can see your information and contact you, and turn on two-step verification.
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See also
Suspicious links and suspicious files
WhatsApp's article About suspicious links says you may see a reminder to watch out for scams when a link contains an unusual combination of characters. Its example is an address made to look like WhatsApp's, where the first letter looks like a "w" but is a different character. If a link is marked suspicious, tapping it opens a pop-up that highlights the unusual characters. You can then open the link or go back to the chat.
WhatsApp's article About suspicious files says some files you send or receive may carry a warning. That can happen because of network issues, because the file is suspected to be malicious, or because its format isn't supported. WhatsApp doesn't recommend opening files marked as suspicious. The article says these checks take place entirely on your device, and because of end-to-end encryption WhatsApp can't see the content of your messages.
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Block unknown account messages: for floods, not for everyone
WhatsApp's article How to block high volumes of unknown messages describes a setting called Block unknown account messages. It is under Settings > Privacy, in the Advanced section.
- What it does
- When it is on, WhatsApp blocks messages from unknown accounts once they exceed a high volume.
- What still gets through
- Your contacts can message you as usual. The setting doesn't block all unknown messages.
- When it stops
- Blocking stops after message rates return to normal.
- The prompt
- WhatsApp might prompt you to turn it on if you receive a high volume of unknown messages.
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What Meta announced in August 2025
On 5 August 2025 Meta's newsroom said WhatsApp was launching a safety overview for groups: when someone not in your contacts added you to a group you might not recognise, WhatsApp would show key information about the group and safety tips, you could leave without looking at the chat, and the group's notifications would stay silenced until you marked that you wanted to stay. Meta also said it was exploring ways to caution people when they start a chat with someone not in their contacts.
The post's advice was to pause, question and verify before answering a suspicious or unusual message. Take time before you respond. Ask whether the request makes sense or sounds too good to be true, and whether they are rushing you or asking for money, gift cards or PIN codes. If they claim to be a friend or family member, contact that person directly, ideally by another method. The post also named a red flag in many of these schemes: you have to pay upfront to get the promised returns.
Fake emails about your Meta business account
Scams about a business account don't only arrive on WhatsApp. The Facebook Help Center article on suspicious emails or messages claiming to be from Facebook says Facebook will never ask for your password in an email or send you a password as an attachment. It lists what fake emails often look like:
- Policy threats
- False claims that you broke the Community Standards or, for a business, that you aren't complying with the Meta Advertising Standards, the Commerce Policies or other policies and terms.
- Account warnings
- Warnings that something will happen to your account if you don't update it or take a certain action.
- Prizes
- Offers that sound too good to be true, such as winning a Facebook Lottery.
The article says not to open a strange email or its attachments. If you're a business, it says to go to Business Support Home to check whether there are any issues with your business accounts.
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What this means for your shop
BitByteCore is a verified Meta Tech Provider (since 9 September 2026). This guide repeats WhatsApp's and Meta's own Help Centers as we read them on 14 October 2026, and is not legal advice.
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Questions
How do I know a message is really from WhatsApp Business?
WhatsApp says the WhatsApp Business app has one official chat. It has the verified badge, the description "Official WhatsApp Business account", and a system message saying it is an official WhatsApp Business account. You can't message it, and it won't ask for personal information.
Someone says they are WhatsApp and can lift a ban if I pay. Is that real?
Treat it as a scam. WhatsApp says it doesn't charge people to use it, and that anyone asking for payment to use WhatsApp or offering to unban an account for payment is likely after your financial or personal information.
Why did WhatsApp mark a link as suspicious?
WhatsApp says the reminder can appear when a link contains an unusual combination of characters, such as a letter that looks like a "w" but isn't. Tap the link to see a pop-up highlighting the unusual characters, then choose to open it or go back.
Does Block unknown account messages stop customers from reaching me?
WhatsApp says it only blocks unknown accounts when their messages exceed a high volume, doesn't block all unknown messages, and stops once rates return to normal. Its page doesn't say how it treats customers who aren't saved as contacts, so watch for missed messages while it is on.
I got an email saying my business account broke Meta's policies. What should I do?
Facebook's Help Center says Facebook will never ask for your password by email, and that fake emails often claim policy violations. Facebook says not to open a strange email or any of its attachments. As a business, go to Business Support Home to check for issues.
Who is BitByteCore?
BitByteCore is a verified Meta Tech Provider (since 9 September 2026). This guide repeats WhatsApp's and Meta's own Help Centers, and is not legal advice.
Sources
- WhatsApp Help Center: About the official WhatsApp Business account, read 14 October 2026.
- WhatsApp Help Center: About the official WhatsApp chat account, read 14 October 2026.
- WhatsApp Help Center: About suspicious messages and scams, read 14 October 2026.
- WhatsApp Help Center: How to protect yourself from suspicious messages and scams, read 14 October 2026.
- WhatsApp Help Center: About suspicious links, read 14 October 2026.
- WhatsApp Help Center: About suspicious files, read 14 October 2026.
- WhatsApp Help Center: How to block high volumes of unknown messages, read 14 October 2026.
- Meta Newsroom: New WhatsApp Tools and Tips to Beat Messaging Scams (5 August 2025), read 14 October 2026.
- Facebook Help Center: You got a suspicious email or message claiming it's from Facebook, read 14 October 2026.
This guide describes WhatsApp's and Meta's pages as we read them, and is not legal advice. More plain-language notes like this one are on the guides page.
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