WhatsApp is currently banning approximately 10 million Indian accounts every month as part of a major initiative to curb rising cyber fraud. The Meta-owned platform identifies and restricts these numbers due to their involvement in fraudulent activities, detailing these actions in its mandatory monthly compliance reports.
However, the Indian government is now looking to expand the impact of these bans. Discussions are underway with WhatsApp to share data on these blacklisted numbers so they can be blocked across all digital platforms, preventing criminals from simply switching apps to continue their scams.
Closing the loophole: Preventing multi-platform fraud
According to a report by The Economic Times, the government is concerned that the current system is insufficient for total fraud prevention. While WhatsApp’s compliance reports provide transparency, they do not currently prevent a banned user from migrating to other services.
Officials have reported that when WhatsApp bans certain mobile numbers, many of those numbers simply switch to other messaging apps like Telegram and continue to engage in scams. While the government knows about accounts removed due to its instructions, there is a lack of clarity around how and why WhatsApp decides to ban accounts on its own. WhatsApp does release figures on how many accounts were banned, but they don't give any additional details.
The role of OTP-enabled apps
Scammers often use popular messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram because, once you set up an account with a phone number, you can use it without needing a physical SIM card. This makes it very difficult for authorities to track down these criminals. Finding out when a SIM card was issued and if the information linked to it is accurate is crucial to tackling these fraudulent activities.
Rakesh Maheshwari, a former senior official with the Ministry of Electronics and IT, explained that the aim of creating a monthly report to the public was to enhance transparency and accountability of these platforms. He added that if certain issues arise that need deeper examination, the government has the authority to request more information.
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