WhatsApp faces India block and fraud concerns over new username feature

The Indian government halted the rollout of WhatsApp’s new username system, warning that pseudonymous accounts could facilitate phishing, identity theft and other online crimes. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is reviewing Meta’s response and is considering a uniform regulatory framework for messaging platforms. The feature, still in beta worldwide, would let users chat without revealing their phone number, though a number is required for initial registration.

Tests in Switzerland showed that official‑sounding names of banks and other institutions could be reserved on the platform, creating a potential avenue for scammers to impersonate trusted entities. Meta says that prominent names, verified accounts and official institutions are pre‑blocked, but the Swiss trial indicated many variants remain vulnerable. India, home to more than 500 million WhatsApp users, demanded an immediate stop, while Meta promised to introduce protection mechanisms.

The controversy comes as WhatsApp continues to release other updates, including cross‑device chat transfer and AI‑driven tools, but the username debate highlights the tension between new user‑privacy features and fraud prevention in large markets.