WhatsApp has started rolling out username reservations, allowing users to find and message each other by handle instead of phone number. However, this feature is already raising concerns over impersonation, with security experts and regulators in India warning of potential online fraud and phishing attacks.
The Indian government has sent a notice to WhatsApp, warning that the feature could facilitate impersonation of individuals, public authorities, and financial institutions.
Experts are advising users to choose unique and hard-to-guess usernames to minimize the risk of impersonation. WhatsApp has said it will take a gradual approach to the rollout, listening to feedback to ensure the feature is implemented correctly.
