WhatsApp remains one of the most popular instant messaging apps in India. With a wider user base, any update on the platform could impact millions of users. The Meta-owned platform recently announced the usernames feature, that will allow users to connect without sharing their phone numbers. The feature will begin rolling out later this year. Currently, users can reserve their usernames starting this week. However, the update is sparking a huge debate online over whether it could make impersonation and online scams more common, badging reactions from big tech leaders and online influencers.
Why Are Some People Worried?
While many users welcomed the added privacy, others raised concerns that usernames make it easier for scammers to copy well-known people and businesses to act like them.
Jasveer Singh, Co-founder of KnotDating, compared the move to Telegram, saying, “WhatsApp just launched usernames. My first thought wasn’t privacy – it was scams. The biggest reason I never used Telegram was because anyone could contact you without knowing your phone number. It became a paradise for scammers.”
Paytm Founder Flags Similar Concerns
As per Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the similar looking usernames could become a major problem. He said, “Soon you will have verified username on WhatsApp, and then unverified similar-sounding usernames… which in turn will…”
Although he did not finish the thought in the shared post, his comment echoed concerns about copying usernames that may resemble verified accounts.
Ankur Warikoo Warns About Impersonation
Ankur Warikoo, a notable influencer, said that the feature may create new risks especially in India, if strong safeguards are not included. He said, “In a country such as India, this could be a disaster, if the right anti-abuse systems are not set up by WhatsApp.”
He noted that bad actors may try to copy him on the platform with similar usernames. “Imagine receiving a message from warikoo / awarikoo / ankurwarikooo / ankur_warikoo / a_warikoo / ankurwarikooofficial etc etc – soliciting money,” he added.
WhatsApp’s Previous Regulatory Challenges In India
The messaging platform has also been under regulatory scrutiny in India. In 2024, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposed a Rs 213 crore penalty on Meta and prohibited WhatsApp from sharing user data with other Meta platforms for advertising purposes for five years. However, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) overturned the data-sharing restriction in November 2025 while leaving the financial penalty unchanged.
In a separate case, the Supreme Court of India cautioned WhatsApp over its data-sharing practices with Meta. During the proceedings, the court remarked that continuing to share Indian users’ data could even invite a complete ban on the platform, describing the practice as “a decent way of committing private data theft.”
At the time of publishing, we had reached out to WhatsApp India for an official response regarding the concerns around the username feature. This story will be updated if the company issues a statement.
