MCMC Refers Compromised and Blocked WhatsApp Account Cases to Meta

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 25 – The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is reviewing public complaints involving WhatsApp accounts that have been compromised, blocked, or rendered inaccessible, and has formally submitted the cases to platform owner Meta for clarification and corrective action.

In a statement issued on Friday, MCMC confirmed that it is actively engaging with Meta to safeguard local users and resolve access issues affecting legitimate account owners.

“MCMC will continue to monitor the situation and seek cooperation from the platform to protect user interests. Affected users are advised to use official WhatsApp channels for account recovery or verification,” the regulatory body stated.

Addressing public confusion over account access failures, MCMC clarified that account compromise and account blocking represent two distinct operational issues.

“Accounts compromised by irresponsible parties can be misused for fraud, spam, or activities that violate WhatsApp’s terms, subsequently leading to the account being blocked by the platform,” MCMC explained.

To mitigate cybersecurity threats and prevent unauthorized takeovers, MCMC advised the public never to disclose verification codes or security PINs to external parties. The commission also urged users to enable the platform’s ‘Two-Step Verification’ security feature and refrain from clicking on suspicious links or downloading unverified third-party applications.

MCMC cautioned the public against fallible recovery schemes, urging users to remain vigilant against unauthorized entities offering account restoration services in exchange for payment, personal data, or verification PINs.

“If the issue cannot be resolved through official WhatsApp channels, users may submit a complaint to MCMC for further action and for the case to be referred to Meta,” the commission added.

–NMT