WhatsApp has reportedly fixed the glitch that sprung up earlier this week that showed “error:uknown” as contact status. According to reports, the glitch had affected thousands of users worldwide.
WhatsApp acknowledged the glitch on Twitter and said it was working on resolving soon-ish. Here’s WhatApp’s message on Twitter:
The bug was followed by a hoax message urging people who use the app to forward a message to all their contacts or face having their accounts deleted.
The viral message is from the CEO of WhatsApp, one ‘Jim Balsamic’, and reads, “We have had an over usage of user names on whatsapp Messenger. We are requesting all users to forward this message to their entire contact list.
“If you do not forward this message,” the message continues, “we will take it as your account is invalid and it will be deleted within the next 48 hours.
“Please DO NOT ignore this message or whatsapp will no longer recognise your activation,” the fake communcation orders, warning, “If you wish to re-activate your account after it has been deleted, a charge of 25.00 will be added to your monthly bill.”
According to Naharnet, WhatsApp has assured its users on circulated messages calling them hoax. The site quotes a Whatsapp blog as saying “We have been getting a lot of emails and questions from you about a chain letter message circulating in our network. Please understand that this is a hoax and there is no truth to it.
“While we are flattered that we made it Hoax Slayer we would rather work on cool new features instead of debunking silly stories like these.”
It’s not the first time such hoax message has surfaced. WhatsApp confirms on its blog that a very similar message went viral back in January. According to Cnet, the spam appears to have started “BlackBerry messaging service BBM — hence Jim Balsamic, a vinegar-flavoured corruption of Jim Balsillie, former co-CEO of RIM”. Check out the past messages that have done rounds of WhatsApp here.