WhatsApp is finally letting you hide your phone number behind a custom username. While it's a massive win for privacy, cybersecurity experts warn it could unleash a wave of identity scams. Here is what you need to know.
A Kollam-native, Lijo Felix, has been arrested at Thiruvananthapuram airport for allegedly impersonating a cyber cell officer. He is accused of intimidating a young woman via WhatsApp call in February this year, claiming she was under surveillance for watching sexual videos, and then coercing her into sending nude videos as part of a supposed "counselling process." The arrest was made by Thrissur Rural Cyber Crime officers upon his arrival from Germany.
Thane Police's cyber cell arrested two individuals for allegedly defrauding a 70-year-old man of nearly Rs 1.30 crore through a fake online share trading scheme. The fraudsters lured the victim via WhatsApp, promising high returns, and persuaded him to invest in a specific trading application.
Faridabad police have arrested six individuals in connection with a cyber-fraud case where Rs 50 lakh was swindled using a company CMD's photograph on WhatsApp. The police managed to freeze Rs 29 lakh of the defrauded amount. The accused, from Mumbai and Gujarat, were produced in court and sent to judicial custody.
Delhi Police have arrested Hiten Kumar and Ayush Arya for allegedly facilitating a cyber fraud scheme. The duo arranged bank accounts to receive and transfer money from victims, primarily in Punjab, who were cheated on the pretext of buying health supplements and medicines through a fake website. The investigation led to the recovery of an iPhone containing evidence of the scam.
Rajasthan Police announced the detention of Harichand Jat alias Hari Boxer, a key member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Hari Boxer, wanted for extortion, firing incidents, and supplying weapons, was operating from abroad after fleeing India in April 2023. Efforts are underway to extradite him to India.
Electoral Officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava has addressed allegations of Model Code of Conduct violations during the Indian Olympic Association's Sportspersons of Merit (SOMs) elections. Srivastava clarified that his role was to issue advisories and ensure fair conduct, not to take punitive action or disqualify candidates. He confirmed receiving complaints, including from PT Usha, and stated that he acted promptly by issuing advisories to all SOMs, despite the complaints arriving on Diwali night, just hours before voting. He emphasized that any punitive action falls under the purview of other authorities like the IOA's Ethics Committee.
Goa Police have arrested two men, Sagar Prakash Dholvi and Ajinkya Ravindra Abhang, from Maharashtra for allegedly defrauding a senior citizen of Rs 39.01 lakh through a fraudulent online investment scheme. The accused lured the victim via WhatsApp, showed fictitious profits, and then stopped responding after demanding more payments. Police have secured Rs 23.12 lakh belonging to the complainant and advise caution against such schemes.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has called an emergency meeting of TVK legislators in Chennai to address growing concerns over the conduct of party MLAs. The meeting, scheduled for November 11, will focus on maintaining discipline and public behaviour, particularly in light of allegations against Deputy Speaker M Ravisankar and MLA C Arul Vignesh. Opposition parties, including DMK and AIADMK, have heavily criticised the ruling TVK over these issues, demanding accountability from the Chief Minister.
The Election Commission has provided a fresh opportunity for voters in seven states marked as Absent, Shifted, Dead, or Duplicate (ASDD) to be included in the final electoral rolls. This decision comes amidst allegations of disenfranchisement and aims to facilitate the inclusion of electors whose enumeration forms were not returned during the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested Ankit Shankhwar, 24, from Kanpur for allegedly creating and selling fake email IDs to individuals in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries. These IDs were reportedly used to send bomb threats to schools and establishments in major Indian cities, as well as to a concert and a Bollywood actor's residence. The investigation revealed Shankhwar used proxy servers and cryptocurrency for transactions, establishing links with foreign nationals for this illicit trade since 2021.
The Indian government has issued a notice to Meta regarding WhatsApp's upcoming username feature, warning the platform not to roll it out until concerns about potential fraud, impersonation, and public safety are addressed to the government's satisfaction.
Andhra Pradesh police have revealed that female Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) are actively targeting Indian defence personnel through social media, honey traps, and financial inducements to extract sensitive information. Under "Operation Firewall-2026," two individuals, including a naval staffer, were arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan, with 13 naval personnel among 18 suspects involved in the espionage conspiracy.
WhatsApp is introducing an optional username feature, allowing users to connect and chat without needing to share their phone numbers. This privacy-focused update will roll out gradually, enabling users to reserve unique usernames and offering greater control over personal information, especially in group chats or when interacting with businesses.
'Remove the thought that you are 'running out of time' because this haste will make you choose without clarity and you will end up making a mistake in your decision,' advises rediffGURU Shalini Singh.
A Delhi court has denied anticipatory bail to a university professor accused of raping a former student and threatening to circulate her objectionable videos. The court cited WhatsApp chats indicating coercion and the risk of witness tampering and evidence destruction if bail were granted. The investigation has been assigned to a senior police officer.
Kerala's 'Operation Toofan' anti-narcotics drive has led to the arrest of over 15,000 people in more than 14,000 drug-related cases since its launch on June 2. Authorities have seized over 2,000 kg of narcotics, frozen bank accounts, and issued international notices for absconders, while also focusing on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Gurugram police have arrested two individuals, Nirmal Kumar and Gopi Kumar Yadav, for their involvement in a cyber-fraud scheme. The gang allegedly duped people by sending fake HCG bill messages and using malicious APK files to steal Rs 1,64,900 from a complainant's bank account. The arrested associates were responsible for fraudulently obtaining and supplying SIM cards used in the crime.
Delhi Police have dismantled an organised cyber fraud network responsible for duping individuals of over Rs 10 crore. Five individuals have been arrested across India in connection with 544 complaints. The fraudsters used a foreign-based application to send phishing messages, impersonating traffic challans and reward schemes, to steal money from victims.
Two individuals have been arrested following the death of a 60-year-old man during an illegal hunting expedition within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Thane. The victim, Vijay Sapte, was accidentally shot by an accomplice who mistook his mobile flashlight for an animal's eyes. The group attempted to conceal the crime by hastily cremating the body and involving a private practitioner for a fraudulent death certificate.
Asian Games gold medalist Sarita Gayakwad has allegedly been defrauded of Rs 69.10 lakh by a man who promised high returns on investment in his sand business in Gujarat. An FIR has been registered against the accused, Nitin Bharti, who is currently absconding. Gayakwad was persuaded to invest with a promise of 4 per cent monthly returns, but received neither the returns nor her principal amount.
WhatsApp has asserted that username reservation relating to well-known public figure names is restricted only to their legitimate account owners, and termed as "false" any claims that people are reserving popular or well-known usernames.
Hungarian tennis player Panna Udvardy highlights the severe mental toll of online abuse faced by professional tennis players, citing Britain's Jodie Burrage receiving death threats after a Chennai Open match. Udvardy, who also experienced threats including harm to her family, calls for stronger protective measures as players endure constant hostility regardless of match outcomes.
WhatsApp has released detailed FAQs on its upcoming username feature, outlining measures to address concerns around impersonation, scams, and unwanted contact, amidst government scrutiny.
Delhi Police have arrested two men for allegedly operating a fake Russian Embassy recruitment website, duping Indian job seekers. The scam involved creating fraudulent profiles and collecting fees for fictitious jobs. The investigation, initiated after a complaint from the Russian Embassy, has identified around 50 suspicious transactions and at least 17 victims.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has been granted more time to submit its response on the contentious 'username' feature and assured the government that it will not roll it out in India until discussions are complete, according to sources.
The last absconding resident doctor, Nirali Vasave, has been arrested in connection with the suicide of first-year postgraduate student Harsh Pandya at Government Medical College, Surat. Pandya allegedly faced severe ragging and harassment from four senior resident doctors, leading to his death on August 9. The case is registered under abetment of suicide and the SC/ST Act.
India's IT Ministry has issued notices to Telegram and Signal, following a similar action against WhatsApp, questioning their username features due to concerns over increased online fraud, phishing, and impersonation. The government is seeking explanations on how these platforms address such risks, with one homegrown app already disabling the feature.
A businessman in Ratlam was allegedly defrauded of Rs 55 lakh by cyber criminals posing as police officers. The fraudsters claimed his mobile number was linked to Pakistan's ISI and threatened legal action, coercing him to transfer funds. Three accused have been apprehended, and Rs 20 lakh of the defrauded amount has been blocked.
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon has announced a revised route for this year's edition, scheduled for Sunday. The change is due to ongoing protests near Rail Bhawan, Sansad Marg, and Patel Chowk, which were part of the traditional course. Organisers have communicated the new route to participants, while elite race timings and other run categories remain largely unaffected.
The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch has arrested two men from Rajasthan for allegedly defrauding people of Rs 8 lakh by selling fake garba event passes during Navratri. The accused used Instagram, forged email IDs, WhatsApp, and AI tools like ChatGPT to create authentic-looking tickets and promotional material, targeting around 40,000 people. They sold 686 bogus passes for various high-end events before being apprehended based on a complaint from a garba organiser.
The BJP is increasingly integrating its digital outreach with on-ground mobilisation, using social media attacks, political songs, marches, rallies, and public meetings to amplify its political messaging and counter opposition narratives. This evolving strategy, exemplified by the 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' campaign, aims to take political contests beyond online platforms to streets and campuses, especially in response to the INDIA bloc's recent rally and accusations against the Election Commission.
An assistant professor at a Jodhpur university was sacked and arrested following multiple allegations of sexual harassment, including sending obscene messages, pressuring students for personal relationships, and using academic performance to coerce them. The university terminated his services, and police arrested him on Monday, securing two-day custody for questioning.
A deputy station manager in Kalyan, Thane, has been booked by railway police for allegedly sending inappropriate WhatsApp messages and making improper advances towards a woman colleague. The case was registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Delhi Police have arrested two men, Sachin Sharma and Sumit, for allegedly defrauding Tamil Nadu residents by promising scholarships for higher education. The scam involved using a mule bank account and a database of 54,000 contacts. Investigators traced the financial trail after a complaint from a victim, leading to the arrests and the recovery of crucial evidence.
'Peter Hegemann was so kind that a paper published in 2010 in Nature Method which mentioned optogenetic as a tool of the year, he wrote, 'My graduate student Suneel Katariya was the one who identified gene in coding channelrhodoxin and that was the turning point of my research'.'
India's AI startups have the money to run their models, but a shortage of GPUs is delaying projects, increasing costs and limiting growth.
India has issued a fresh advisory for its nationals in Saudi Arabia, urging them to take precautions due to heightened security concerns following drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The advisory includes instructions on what to do during an aerial attack and notes flight disruptions, with Indian carriers suspending services until late October.
A special MCOCA court in Mumbai has remanded 11 accused in the Tiger Shroff firing incident case to police custody until November 6. Police are investigating a 'deep-rooted conspiracy' by gangster Anil Pandit's organised crime syndicate, which allegedly targeted prominent personalities for economic gain. The syndicate reportedly operates with two modules for reconnaissance, execution, logistics, and arms supply. The stringent MCOCA provisions have been invoked, allowing for extended custody and specific evidence admissibility.
The Election Commission of India has revised instructions for the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, allowing voters served notices for "No Mapping" or "Logical Discrepancy" categories to avoid physical appearance. Booth Level Officers will collect documents at residences, and submissions can also be made via WhatsApp or during special camps, ensuring a more accessible process for electors.
