Whatsapp strange issue

By Ramy, 20 February, 2025

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hello all:
Am using Whatsapp updated to the latest version, on my iphone, and something very strange happened 2 times for me,
When i open whatsapp, i found myself added to an "unknown group chat" this group has no members, and i found that i've been removed so, no one in this group and also, no messages or even who added me to this fake thing.
I Checked my Privacy and security options, even the linked devices, and no strange issues there.
so, what is this? is this a spam or a whatsapp bug or what is going on?
Tia

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Comments

By Mister Kayne on Friday, December 26, 2025 - 08:24

Looks like someone who has gotten hold of your number added you to the group, to prevent such instances in the future. Change the security settings on Whatsapp on your phone:

To prevent people from adding you to groups without your consent, you need to adjust your Privacy Settings directly within the WhatsApp app on your iPhone.
Here are the step-by-step instructions:
1. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone.
2. Tap the Settings tab (the gear icon in the bottom right corner).
3. Tap on Privacy.
4. Scroll down and tap on Groups.
5. You will see three options under "Who can add me to groups":
β€’ Everyone: Anyone with your number can add you (This is the default).
β€’ My Contacts: Only people in your phone's address book can add you.
β€’ My Contacts Except...: This allows you to select specific peopleβ€”or all of your contactsβ€”to prevent them from adding you directly.

To Block Everyone Effectively:
If you want to ensure nobody can add you without an invitation:
1. Select My Contacts Except...
2. Tap Select All (or manually check every contact).
3. Tap Done.

What happens next? If someone tries to add you to a group and they are restricted by these settings, they will be prompted to send you a Private Invite via chat instead. You then have 3 days to accept the invite before it expires.