Why WhatsApp's new usernames feature is raising scam fears in India

WhatsApp's latest update is being pitched as one of its biggest privacy upgrades in years. But in India, where the platform has become a preferred tool for everything from payments to customer service, many users fear it could also create a powerful new weapon for scammers.

The messaging platform has begun rolling out usernames, allowing users to connect without sharing their phone numbers. Once the feature is widely available, users will be able to create a unique username under Settings > Account > Username, making it possible to message people without revealing their mobile numbers.

Meta says the move is designed to give users greater privacy, especially when interacting with people they do not know. But critics argue that the feature could make impersonation scams harder to spot, particularly in a country already grappling with widespread fraud conducted through WhatsApp.

The central concern is simple: if users begin recognising people by usernames instead of phone numbers, fraudsters could create lookalike handles that closely resemble those of celebrities, businesses or financial advisers.

Entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo was among the first prominent voices to sound the alarm. "In a country such as India, this could be a disaster, if the right anti-abuse systems are not set up by WhatsApp," he wrote on X.

Warikoo said scammers could easily create usernames resembling public figures. "Imagine receiving a message from warikoo / awarikoo / ankurwarikooo / ankur_warikoo / a_warikoo / ankurwarikooofficial etc etc — soliciting money."

He argued that removing visible phone numbers also removes an important layer of verification. "Cannot be verified through calling the phone number (because username = privacy)," he wrote.

Warikoo said his concerns stemmed from personal experience, recalling his legal battle with Meta over AI-generated advertisements that allegedly used his likeness to lure users into fake investment WhatsApp groups.

"I have fought a legal case against Meta's lack of attempt to bring down AI-generated ads showing my face, luring people into investment WhatsApp groups. I understand how massive this scam is and how easy it is in our country to execute it."

Warikoo is not alone. Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma warned that the feature could become another avenue for deception if WhatsApp fails to prevent impersonation and fake identities.

Jasveer Singh, co-founder of dating app KnotDating, pointed to Telegram's experience with username-based messaging, arguing that similar abuse could emerge on WhatsApp unless stronger verification systems are introduced from the outset.

'YouTuber Dhruv Rathee also criticised Meta's broader record on tackling scams. "They don't care.. Team Zuckerberg's only goal is to extract as much money as possible. They willingly let scams and fraud ads run on their other platforms. Now they'll probably let the same happen on WhatsApp," he commented.

Not everyone is convinced the fears are justified.

Several users noted that impersonation already exists across platforms such as X, Facebook and Telegram, where anyone can create accounts using another person's name or photograph. Others argued that usernames actually improve privacy by allowing users to communicate without exposing their phone numbers to strangers.

Fintech entrepreneur Kunal Shah urged users to reserve their preferred usernames early, describing the feature as a long-awaited privacy enhancement rather than a security risk.

WhatsApp, meanwhile, has sought to reassure users that the feature includes safeguards. Usernames must be unique and follow specific naming rules, while the company says there will be no public directory allowing people to browse or search for usernames. Instead, users will need to know someone's exact username before they can contact them. The company has also reserved certain usernames associated with public figures and organisations to reduce the risk of impersonation.

Cybersecurity experts note that usernames are neither inherently safer nor less secure than phone numbers. Much will depend on how aggressively Meta detects impersonation, removes fraudulent accounts and responds to reports of abuse once the feature is rolled out at scale.

With more than 850 million users in India, WhatsApp's username rollout is likely to become one of the platform's most closely watched updates. Whether it ultimately delivers greater privacy or creates fresh opportunities for scammers may depend less on the feature itself than on how effectively Meta enforces its safeguards.