When a hijacked phone meets an automated ban
In a column published by dawn.com on October 6, 2026, writer Shuja Ahmed Awan details how his mobile phone number was hijacked to send automated phishing texts. When he sought assistance, he encountered an automated support system that ultimately led to his account being permanently banned.
The incident began when Awan noticed automated messages streaming out of his personal device to scores of contacts. The texts functioned as lures designed to trick recipients into clicking malicious links. He only discovered the outgoing activity because acquaintances began replying directly to his phone number.
By the time he recognized the security breach, WhatsApp had already flagged and disabled the compromised messaging account. Regaining initial access required filing a formal review. However, the resolution proved short-lived due to subsequent automated enforcement.
The wall of artificial intelligence support
Seeking to report the underlying hacking incident and provide telemetry feedback to the platform, Awan attempted to reach human support operators. No human agents were available.
Instead, an artificial intelligence bot handled his requests. The system returned generic information that failed to account for the sensitivity of an active security compromise. The bot assured him that his account faced no restrictions and would not be disabled again. Moments later, the platform banned the account entirely. The system claimed he had exhausted his review attempts, despite his only goal being system feedback.
Escalation channels trapped in loops
Because the platform provides no alternative escalation path for appeal, Awan resorted to filing an email ticket. That channel also yielded automated responses generated by another AI bot.
This automated lockout reflects a wider, systemic issue rapidly becoming normalized across Pakistan. Malicious actors routinely compromise WhatsApp profiles to operate credential-harvesting schemes and financial fraud.
The urgent demand for human supervision
Compromised accounts propagate phishing links that download malware onto victims’ devices or trick contacts into transferring funds.
Awan argues that the rapid rollout of digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence tools cannot occur in a vacuum. Effective deployment requires active human supervision backed by strong cybersecurity frameworks.
