Govt calls action against rising WhatsApp scams, urges Meta to address growing security threats

WhatsApp scams are on the rise in India, prompting urgent action from the government and telecom regulators as fraudsters exploit the platform for financial fraud.

India’s telecom regulator urges government to address rising scams on WhatsApp and other OTT platforms. (Pexels)

The rise of scams on messaging platforms like WhatsApp has prompted a significant response from India's Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY). Following a request from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), the ministry has urged Meta Platforms, the parent company of WhatsApp, to take decisive action. The government is actively engaging with Meta to address the ongoing issue, with MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan acknowledging that scammers are continuously finding new ways to exploit users.

Government's Efforts to Address the Issue

In an interview with the Economic Times, Krishnan stressed that the government maintains regular communication with stakeholders, including WhatsApp. He urged users to remain vigilant and report suspicious content. According to Krishnan, users can file complaints directly through the app or with a grievance officer outside the platform. If unresolved, issues can be escalated to a grievance appellate committee, as mandated by the IT rules.

TRAI Calls for Stricter Measures

Trai has been particularly concerned with scam calls and messages originating from WhatsApp. In a statement to the Economic Times, Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti confirmed that MeitY is already looking into WhatsApp calls, with Trai urging further action to curb the issue. The telecom regulator's concern stems from the growing abuse of over-the-top (OTT) apps, like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram, which currently fall outside the direct purview of Trai and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

However, the challenge remains in regulating content sent on encrypted platforms like WhatsApp and Signal. "Whatsapp and Signal, being end-to-end encrypted platforms, it is next to impossible to regulate content sent on these platforms. However, measures can, of course, be taken to block numbers/users who are sending out spam messages. Platforms have to respond to grievances raised by users in this regard. At the same time, platforms also have to guard against wrong reporting," said Prasanth Sugathan, Legal Director, SFLC.in to HT Tech.

Challenges with OTT Platform Regulation

While WhatsApp has shown some cooperation, including blocking numbers as requested by the government, platforms like Signal and Telegram remain largely unregulated. This lack of oversight makes it difficult to prevent scams, particularly on apps with large user bases like WhatsApp. The telecom operators - Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone-Idea- have expressed frustration over the inability to control spam and phishing on OTT platforms. Despite blocking requests from the DoT, international numbers that facilitate fraud continue to bypass local regulations.

Fraudsters have found various ways to exploit WhatsApp users, including convincing victims to share their screens or provide sensitive information, such as one-time passwords (OTPs), to steal money from bank accounts. This growing threat highlights the need for more robust regulations on OTT apps to protect users from scams.