WhatsApp has said that you may lose messages
Sophie Buchan Money and Lifestyle Writer
14:41, 06 Aug 2025
WhatsApp users are being warned to stay safe(Image: Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
If you have WhatsApp on your phone, you will want to make sure you have downloaded the right one. The warning comes from the messaging app itself, which says that there is a four word message you need to look out for.
Written on the WhatsApp Help Center, it says that you need to be aware of a message that reads “This app is fake.” It explains: “If you’ve received this Play Protect Warning from Google, you’re likely using an unofficial version of WhatsApp.
“Due to security concerns, Google may disable and uninstall these applications. Unofficial WhatsApp apps are altered versions developed by third-parties and violate our Terms of Service.
Make sure you download the right one(Image: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“We don’t support these apps because they put your privacy, security, and safety at risk.”
Learn more about unofficial versions of WhatsApp in this article.
To ensure you have the right app they urge Android users to uninstall the unofficial app, go to their official website and download WhatsApp or the WhatsApp Business app and re-register your phone number.
If you do this, WhatsApp warns: “We can’t guarantee that your chat history will transfer because WhatsApp doesn’t support unofficial apps.”
As well as this, anyone with WhatsApp on their phone – regardless of what type – should remain alert and follow three new rules if they want to keep their accounts safe and comes amid a warning from Action Fraud. In a recent warning, the Mirror explains: “The cyber crime prevention team says it’s now vital to check WhatsApp accounts and make sure two-step verification is switched on.
“Once activated, nobody can log in unless verified on a secondary device. This means users can instantly see and stop rogue attempts at accessing accounts.” You can read more about the UK WhatsApp red alert via the Mirror.