WhatsApp to axe numbers flagged fraud on DoT’s portal

Instant messaging platform WhatsApp will remove mobile phone numbers which have been reported for being fraudulent on the Sanchar Saathi portal of the Department of Telecommunications, the minister of communications, electronics and information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said at a press briefing on Tuesday.

Vaishnaw said these mobile numbers had been registered either using forged documents or had been used for cybercrime in some form.

“All the OTT platforms have also co-operated, and they are absolutely onboard to de-register the users detected as fraud numbers. This means that any WhatsApp account related to these numbers will be taken offline by the platform,” Vaishnaw said.


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The government is also in talks with other messaging and OTT calling apps to implement the same measures and de-register users who have been reported for fraud, Vaishnaw said.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said that the platform was “actively engaging with the government to consistently ensure a safe and secure user experience, including weeding out bad actors from the platform.”

“WhatsApp is a leader among end-to-end encrypted services in protecting user safety and we continue to provide several in-built safety tools like block & report, two-step verification, among others, along with regularly driving user safety education and awareness,” a spokesperson for the company said.