This topic covers common troubleshooting scenarios for WeChat Capture (WeCom).
Identity Verification
Identity Verification Failure When Adding External Contacts
Symptom
When a WeCom user attempts to add an external contact, a Tencent identity verification prompt appears and cannot be completed. The verification is rejected even after submitting a passport or other document.
Why This Happens
Tencent requires identity verification when WeCom users add external contacts. This is a Tencent platform requirement — it is not controlled by Smarsh. Users outside mainland China (Singapore, Hong Kong, UK) frequently encounter rejections because Tencent's verification system is primarily designed for Chinese identity documents.
Steps to Resolve
Attempt verification from the WeCom mobile app, not the desktop version.
Confirm the user's WeCom profile mobile number exactly matches the number registered with Tencent.
Use a passport as the primary document. If rejected, try a government-issued national ID card.
If individual document submission fails, ask your WeCom enterprise administrator to attempt verification via the WeCom Admin Console instead of the individual user app.
If all options fail, raise a Smarsh support ticket. Include the user's name, WeCom phone number, country of residence, and document type submitted. Smarsh will escalate to Tencent.
Note
Bank statements are not accepted for WeCom identity verification.
Impact on Archiving
Identity verification failure does not stop archiving of existing conversations. Only adding new external contacts is blocked until verification is resolved.
Banned User
Banned User — Why It Happens and How to Resolve
Symptom
A WeCom user receives a ban notification and can no longer send messages. Or, you receive a Smarsh alert stating a contact has refused archiving.
Understanding the Alert
Smarsh sends an automated alert when an external contact declines to be archived: "We have detected that User [Name] at [number] was refused archiving by contact [WeChat ID] in WeChat Group [group ID]." This means the external contact is not configured to allow archiving. Your user's outgoing messages are still archived.
Banned vs Inactive
Banned: Explicit ban notification in WeCom app; user cannot send messages.
Inactive or suspended: User can log in but messages fail to send. Check WeCom Admin Console > User Management for account status.
Steps to Resolve
In the WeCom app, tap Request Review in the ban notification to appeal to Tencent.
If unavailable or rejected: WeCom Admin Console > User Management > select user > Request Unban.
If the ban persists, raise a Smarsh support ticket. Smarsh will escalate to Tencent. Note: Smarsh cannot guarantee reversal of a Tencent-issued ban.
Prevention
Avoid adding large numbers of external contacts in a short period.
Do not use WeCom bulk messaging to contact people unsolicited.
Ensure users log in to WeCom regularly — dormant accounts are more likely to be flagged.
Archiving Issues
User's Messages Not Appearing in the Archive
Symptom
A specific user's WeCom messages are not appearing in your archive platform even though the user appears active.
Step 1 — Verify the user is provisioned
Log in to the TeleMessage Admin Portal at secure.telemessage.com.
Go to Users and search by phone number or email.
Confirm the user exists and status is Active. If not found, submit a provisioning request.
Step 2 — Verify the user accepted the WeCom invite
Check the user's account status in the WeCom Admin Console. If Pending, resend the invite: WeCom Admin Console > Address Book > select user > Resend Invite.
Step 3 — Check the phone number format
Confirm the phone number in TeleMessage matches WeCom exactly. A common issue is Singapore (+65) numbers stored with a leading +1 (e.g. +16585001234 instead of +6585001234). If this is the case, raise a Smarsh support ticket to correct the number.
Step 4 — Confirm archive plan assignment
Confirm the user is assigned to an active WeCom archive plan in the TeleMessage Admin Portal. Users not assigned to a plan will not have messages delivered to your archive destination.
If all steps check out and messages are still missing, raise a Smarsh support ticket with the user's phone number, email, and the date range of missing messages.
Admin and User Management
WeCom Company Name Inconsistency and Contact Visibility Issues
Symptom
WeCom users from the same organisation cannot see or add each other. Users appear under different company name variants in the TeleMessage Admin Portal.
Why This Happens
When users are provisioned at different times or by different administrators, they may be registered under slightly different company name variants (e.g. "TP ICAP", "TP", "ICAP"). This causes contact visibility restrictions and reporting inconsistencies.
How to Confirm
Log in to the TeleMessage Admin Portal.
Go to Users and filter by company name.
If the same organisation appears under multiple name variants, users are misregistered.
How to Resolve
Raise a Smarsh support ticket with the correct single company name and a list of affected users with their current registered company names. Smarsh will consolidate registrations under the correct entity.
Contact Visibility in WeCom Admin Console
Log in to the WeCom Admin Console at work.weixin.qq.com.
Go to Address Book Settings > Visibility Settings.
Ensure all user groups requiring mutual visibility are included in each other's visible scope.