Kenyan comedian Mulamwah was left stunned after he discovered his WhatsApp had been hacked while on tour in China with fellow content creators.
The giveaway that something was off? Strange messages, money demands, and contacts receiving what appeared to be despairing appeals from Mulamwah—all from a phone that he no longer had control over.
Even though he moved quickly to suspend the intruder, suspending the number and taking other actions to lock his account again, the attacker managed to forward his number to another device. The result: Mulamwah lost total control, and the imposter continued sending requests to those who did not even realize anything was amiss.
Mulamwah has since taken to social media with a warning: “My WhatsApp is hacked—don’t send or dish out money. If someone asks, get them to send a voice note or video call to prove it’s really me.”
He also requested that his fans, friends, and colleagues verify any calls coming from his number—because if your number gets passed on to someone else, it’s not only embarrassing, it’s dangerous.
Stranded abroad, Mulamwah complained about how difficult it is to receive assistance from service providers while abroad. As he struggles to take back control and secure his online identity, the harm caused by lost trust—or worse, money—might persist.
By tuko