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Blog: account takeovers and scams, explained
Articles on current scams and on services our English-speaking readers use, each built only from the official help pages we link to.
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Written in English for readers in the US, the UK and beyond. Every other language on this site has its own local articles; switch with the language menu.
The WhatsApp “vote for my daughter” scam: how it takes over accounts
In October 2026 Italy's Polizia Postale and the Dutch Fraudehelpdesk both warned about the same message. Here is how it works, according to their alerts, and how to get your account back.
Read the articlePhone stolen: secure your accounts in the right order
Your phone number is the key to WhatsApp, Telegram and many recovery codes. Here is what WhatsApp, Google, Apple and Telegram each say to do, in an order that closes the gaps fastest.
Read the articleCash App hacked or scammed: what to do now
Cash App warns that fraudsters often pretend to be its customer service. Here is what its own help and security pages say about reporting, reaching the real support team and card protection.
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Latest recovery guides
Step-by-step guides for Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and other platforms, in all ten languages of this site.
WhatsApp account restricted: what it means and how long it lasts
A restriction is not a ban. WhatsApp limits some features for a set time, and the restriction ends on its own. Here's what that means, based on WhatsApp's own help page.
Read the guideRiot account hacked: recover your VALORANT or League of Legends account
Riot recovers compromised accounts through its own Account Recovery Tool and support tickets. Here's the order to do things in, based on Riot's support pages.
Read the guidePlayStation account hacked: recover your PSN account
PlayStation recovers accounts online from the sign-in screen, and through its Online Assistant when something was changed without your permission. Here's which route fits, based on PlayStation Support.
Read the guideNetflix account hacked: get back in and sign everyone else out
Netflix's own steps are short: a new password, sign out of every device, and remove email addresses you don't recognize from profiles. Here's the order, based on Netflix's help center.
Read the guideSpotify account hacked: how to secure it and get it back
Spotify says these takeovers usually come from breaches on other services. Here's what to do, based on Spotify's own support pages, whether you can still log in or not.
Read the guideKleinanzeigen account hacked or restricted: what to do
When Kleinanzeigen detects a takeover, it restricts the account so nobody can act in your name. Here's how to get it back, based on Kleinanzeigen's own help center.
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