Whatsapp Warns Over GB WhatsApp That Mimics Features & Could Leave You Blocked
WhatsApp has warned its billion of users worldwide they will be blocked from the messaging platform if they download an unofficial app claiming to have added features that WhatsApp still won't unlock.
The Facebook-owned company issued the warning on its website after an unsupported Android app claiming to unlock some new WhatsApp messaging features went viral at the end of last month.
The app goes by the name of 'GB WhatsApp' and boasts of giving users the ability to send more pictures at once and reply with auto-responses such as 'In a meeting'.
It also claims to allow you to hide read receipts while still being able to see others' read status, along with other benefits.
While they may sound attractive to many users, WhatsApp has warned that downloading such unsupported third-party software could come at a huge cost.
It could see you initially suspended from WhatsApp and, if you fail to switch to your official WhatsApp account, you could be banned all together, losing access to the most popular on the planet.
"If you received an in-app message stating your account is 'Temporarily banned' this means that you're likely using an unsupported version of WhatsApp instead of the official WhatsApp app," the Facebook-owned firm said in an update to its small-print on its website.
"If you don't switch to the official app after being temporarily banned, your account might be permanently banned from using WhatsApp."
'GB WhatsApp' isn't available on Google Play Store but only on unofficial app repositories online which force you to disable some of the safeguards turned on by default on Android when downloading, reports the Express,
WhatsApp said: "Unsupported apps, such as WhatsApp Plus, GB WhatsApp, or apps that claim to move your WhatsApp chats between phones, are altered versions of WhatsApp.
"These unofficial apps are developed by third parties and violate our Terms of Service. WhatsApp doesn't support these third-party apps because we can't validate their security practices."
