Indian Government Questions WhatsApp's Username Feature Over Fraud Risks

As WhatsApp has introduced its new feature of username, after a few days, it hit a roadblock in India. The Indian government has asked WhatsApp to pause the rollout of its upcoming username feature. This has raised concerns that it could make online scams, phishing, and identity impersonation easier.

What has changed?

WhatsApp introduced its new feature that allows users to connect using unique usernames instead of sharing their phone numbers. Meta has launched these features by understanding that it will be offering greater privacy. The feature is expected to roll out globally in phases later this year.

But Why Is India Government Concerned?

It is no secret that online scams are happening daily in India; therefore, the Indian government believes the feature could:

• Increase in phishing and online fraud
• Enable fake usernames that mimic trusted people or organizations
• Make impersonation scams more convincing

India already has over 850 million WhatsApp users. The government is urging Meta to delay the launch until its security concerns are addressed.

WhatsApp's Response

Hence, though this feature is not live yet, Meta still says this feature will have several safeguards:

• Reserved usernames for public figures, government bodies, and verified accounts
• Detection systems for impersonation and suspicious activity
• Limits on messaging unknown users
• Extra context for first-time chats, such as account age, shared groups, and location

Now, What Comes In The Bigger Picture

India recorded over 2.81 million cybercrime cases in 2025, with nearly 75% linked to online fraud, making digital safety a growing national priority.

Do let us know your thoughts in the comments and share your opinions on safeguarding privacy with usernames. Also, do you think sharing phone numbers adds an extra layer of trust and security?