WhatsApp account would be deleted if users did not forward a message from WhatsApp to 20 people.

A viral message asking users to forward a message to retain the account status is a hoax. WhatsApp warned its users against such unauthorized senders.

A viral message asking users to forward a message to retain the account status is a hoax. WhatsApp warned its users against such unauthorized senders. The message claimed that WhatsApp accounts would be deleted if users do not forward a message received from WhatsApp to 20 members, and to reactive the account, the user would have to pay. A similar kind of message circulated in 2012 stating, 'WhatsApp is going to cost us money soon' and the 'WhatsApp logo should turn Red to indicate a frequent user.' However, these claims are false.

WhatsApp clarified that these messages are a hoax and warned its users against such unauthorized senders. WhatsApp said, "Unwanted messages from unauthorized third parties come in many forms, such as spam, hoax, and phishing messages. All these types of messages are broadly defined as unsolicited messages from unauthorized third parties that try to deceive people and prompt them to act in a certain way. The company is working diligently to reduce any spam messages that come through their system, and to create a safe space for users to communicate with one another is their priority."

These fake messages have been circulated over the years and people do end up forwarding them. For which WhatsApp asked its users to "block the sender, disregard the message and delete it."