I installed whatsapp and the first three messages I received were spam, all within about 30 minutes. I uninstalled whatsapp.

I've used it for at least 4 years, only got one spam message ever. I blocked the sender. I didn't uninstall whatsapp.

I just recently started using WhatsApp for some international travel and to communicate with friends abroad and haven't received any spam for several months. I've also found it to be far superior than regular SMS, especially in group settings with people using different operating systems and would probably keep using it had I received the occasional spam (as I do with many other services, Skype, E-Mail, etc...)

What version of Whatsapp/Platform are you using - newer versions of Whatsapp have spam blocking features.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/whatsapp-rolls-out-new-spam-blocker...

That only works with direct messages. Spammers have upped their ante, and they are now sending spam by adding you to group messages which (when I looked it up) don't allow you to report them as spammer (you can still block them, but that doesn't prevent a spam epidemy)

Exactly how I was spammed, and I echo someone else's comments that I can't believe you can't activate a whitelist.

Adding more privacy controls would sort of kill the point of it as SMS killer. You can block specific people.

What they should control is the APIs that are popping up like promotional SMS with support for Whatsapp. These companies are obviously circumventing their endpoints.

I have to disagree.

Whitelisting should always be an option - it's simple to achieve technically and allows the consumer to have complete control.

Edit: And the fact there is no whitelisting is also the reason I removed the app from my phone.

How long have you been using whatsapp? Because only one spam message sounds like it's not a huge problem...