Last updated: 15 October 2026. This article will be updated as official information becomes available.
Over the past week, a large number of Zimbabwean businesses have reported being locked out of their WhatsApp Business accounts. For many small enterprises, that single number is the shopfront, the order book and the customer service desk. Losing it overnight is not a minor inconvenience. It is a business interruption.
This guide explains what is known so far, what remains unconfirmed, and the practical steps business owners can take today.
A national investigation is under way
The Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Hon. Tatenda Mavetera, has confirmed that investigations into the reported account takeovers are under way. The ministry is engaging the affected mobile network operator and other relevant parties.
The Minister indicated that Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, is being looked at as part of the investigation. She stressed that this remains a line of inquiry and that responsibility will be established through evidence. Authorities are also examining whether accounts linked to Meta’s advertising services, and the payment details attached to them, have been compromised.
The affected network operator has indicated that a round-the-clock support mechanism is being put in place for concerned customers.
At the time of writing, no official cause has been confirmed, and no verified national figure on the number of affected accounts has been published. Claims circulating on social media should be treated with caution until the investigation reports its findings.
The double hit: takeover, then ban
Affected users describe a consistent pattern:
- The account owner is suddenly logged out of WhatsApp.
- The account is taken over and used to send spam, scam links or money requests to contacts.
- WhatsApp’s automated systems detect the abuse and ban the number.
The business owner is therefore hit twice. First, the account is lost to an attacker. Then the number is banned for activity the owner did not carry out.
This pattern is not unique to Zimbabwe. From mid-January 2026, a campaign in Armenia saw at least 4,000 accounts hijacked. Many were converted into business profiles, used to send spam and then blocked by WhatsApp.
Hacked, banned or cloned: know the difference
| Situation | What you see | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Hacked | “You have been logged out” | Your number has been registered on another device |
| Banned | “This account can’t use WhatsApp” | WhatsApp has restricted the number |
| Cloned | Customers receive messages from a different number using your name and logo | Your account is intact, but your business is being impersonated |
Each situation calls for a different response, so the screen you see matters. A banned account has not necessarily been hacked. Restrictions can also result from suspected policy violations or SIM and registration problems.
How accounts are being compromised
The exact method behind the current wave has not been confirmed. Several established techniques are relevant:
- Verification code theft. A message or call tricks the owner into sharing the six-digit code. The message often comes from a contact whose account has already been hijacked.
- Call forwarding abuse. Calls are diverted to another number, so WhatsApp’s voice verification call reaches the attacker instead of the owner.
- SIM swap fraud. The owner’s number is transferred to a SIM card the criminal controls.
- Linked device abuse. An attacker’s computer is added to the account through a fake link or QR code, often without the owner being logged out.
- Network-level interception. In some cases, verification messages may be intercepted within the mobile network itself. During the Armenian campaign, police noted that victims were not required to click a link or share a code.
A ban is not always proof of wrongdoing
Automated enforcement can get things wrong. In early October 2026, Malaysia’s communications regulator reported that Meta had acknowledged a technical error that wrongly suspended legitimate WhatsApp accounts. The error was found in more than half of the first batch of cases the regulator submitted. Affected accounts were restored, including some that had not submitted an appeal.
Each Zimbabwean case will be reviewed on its own facts. Affected owners should not assume their number is permanently lost, but recovery should not be assumed either.
If your account has been banned
- Use the in-app “Request review” option if it is shown. One request is enough. Repeated requests do not speed up the process.
- Keep the app installed with notifications on. Do not reinstall the app, change phones or register a new number on that device while the review is pending.
- Check your line for call forwarding. Dial *#21#, *#62# and *#67#. Screenshot the results, then dial ##002# to clear any forwarding you did not set up.
- Contact your network operator to check for SIM replacements or forwarding changes on your number. Use the operator’s dedicated support line if one has been provided.
- Review Meta Ads Manager and Business Settings for unfamiliar charges if the number was linked to advertising. Remove or replace any saved payment card.
- Warn your customers through your other channels to ignore payment requests or links sent from the affected number.
- Keep all screenshots, dates and records.
Paid “unban” services cannot restore WhatsApp accounts. Only WhatsApp can review a ban.
How to protect your account today
Two-step verification is the single most effective control. In the Armenian campaign, users with two-step verification enabled recovered their accounts more easily. Attackers were also unable to create business profiles or send mass spam from those accounts, which prevented the accounts from being banned.
- Turn on two-step verification: Settings > Account > Two-step verification. Add a recovery email address.
- Set up a passkey where the option is available.
- Review linked devices weekly: Settings > Linked devices. Log out of anything you do not recognise.
- Never share verification codes or PINs, whoever asks for them.
- Never dial codes on instruction from an unknown caller, especially codes starting with * or **.
- Use only the official WhatsApp Business app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
- Message customers only with their consent, and avoid sudden bulk sends to people who have not saved your number.
The bigger lesson for Zimbabwean businesses
For many SMEs, WhatsApp has become critical business infrastructure. It should be protected like a bank account, not treated like a personal chat app.
Every business should also keep at least one alternative way for customers to reach it. A website, a business email address, social media pages or a Google Business Profile can keep trade moving if WhatsApp access is lost. Security set up before an incident takes minutes. Recovery after an incident can cost weeks of trade.
How Iteb Co can help
Iteb Co provides cybersecurity and IT services to businesses across Zimbabwe and South Africa. Our team can review the security of your WhatsApp, email and business accounts, and help you prepare for incidents before they happen.
Emmanuel Bvumbamera, Technical Director, Iteb Co