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Updated January 17th, 2019 at 15:47 IST

Amazon employee reports strange WhatsApp issue that made her privy to stranger's chat history

Amazon employee reported a strange issue that could lead to serious concerns about WhatsApp user's privacy and data protection. Last week, Abby Fuller who works at Amazon, discovered that she could access to someone else's WhatsApp messages and photos using her WhatsApp.

Reported by: Tanmay Patange
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Amazon employee reported a strange issue that could lead to serious concerns about WhatsApp user's privacy and data protection. Last week, Abby Fuller who works at Amazon, discovered that she could access to someone else's WhatsApp messages and photos using her WhatsApp. In a series of tweets, Fuller went to describe her experience. Fuller said she configured WhatsApp with a new phone number only to find out the chat history linked to the previous user's WhatsApp account. Fuller also clarified that she was using a new handset.

We have reached out to WhatsApp for a comment and we'll update this story as and when the company responds. Meanwhile, explaining what happens when if you stop using your existing phone number or a new user tries to set up a WhatsApp account with an old phone number of yours, here is what it has to say on its FAQ page:

"Remember to delete your old account. However, if you didn't delete your account and no longer have access to your old phone, don't worry. If the new owner of your old number activates WhatsApp on a new phone after 45 days, all of your account information tied to that phone number will be completely deleted."

Also Read | There is a way to find out who do you talk to the most on WhatsApp

WhatsApp uses your phone's internal storage to locally backup your chats and messages. Additionally, it requires a Google account to associate with a WhatsApp-registered phone number so that it can restore all your chats and backup over to your new phone.

In Fuller's case, however, she claims that she was not only using a new phone number but also a new device altogether.

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Published January 17th, 2019 at 15:47 IST

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