The Indian government has sought explanations from WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal regarding their username features, citing serious concerns about potential impersonation and cybercrime. IT Secretary S Krishnan highlighted the risks, leading to notices being served to these platforms, with WhatsApp specifically asked to pause its rollout of the feature.
Messaging platform Telegram has submitted its reply to the IT Ministry's notice regarding its 'username' feature, which allows users to communicate without sharing phone numbers, following a similar submission by WhatsApp.
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.
WhatsApp is testing new ways for users in India to confirm their age as it prepares to comply with upcoming legal requirements, including those related to the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, the Meta-owned messaging platform said on Tuesday.
Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch has uncovered a Rs 1.5 crore WhatsApp fraud, leading to the arrest of two key SIM and OTP suppliers in West Bengal. The investigation revealed a sophisticated international cybercrime network spanning China, Pakistan, India, and Hong Kong, operating a "boss scam" and utilizing a "Cybercrime as a Service" model. Police recovered a significant portion of the defrauded amount and secured thousands of devices.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has submitted its reply to the government's notice on the "username" feature and the response is being examined, sources said on Thursday.
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.
WhatsApp has released detailed FAQs on its upcoming username feature, outlining measures to address concerns around impersonation, scams, and unwanted contact, amidst government scrutiny.
A fraudulent website impersonating the Mangaluru city police was used to deceive individuals into online gambling schemes, prompting a police investigation and public warnings.
Meta's new Muse Image AI generator, which can create AI images from public Instagram accounts without explicit consent, has sparked significant privacy concerns and criticism over its 'opt-in-by-default' approach, raising fears of deepfakes and online impersonation.
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.
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 newly married man in Uttar Pradesh, India, allegedly fled with a substantial dowry after deceiving the bride's family by posing as an IAS officer. Police are investigating the incident as a potential serial scam.
India's IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to summon Meta regarding Instagram ads promoting child sexual abuse material, following a BBC investigation. This action comes shortly after the government also questioned Meta about WhatsApp's planned username feature, citing concerns over increased online fraud and cybercrimes.
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought an explanation from WhatsApp regarding its username feature, citing concerns over potential cybercrime facilitation. Concurrently, the ministry is investigating reported data leak allegations involving Tata Electronics, a key supplier for Apple's iPhone components in India. MeitY is also exploring techno-legal solutions for VPNs to address challenges posed by unregistered providers operating from outside India.
While opening new accounts, banks can check if the name appears in any mule data. In case it does, the bank can conduct enhanced due diligence.
A 32-year-old man has been arrested in Delhi for allegedly defrauding a resident of 2 lakh under the guise of selling a second-hand car online. The accused impersonated an employee of a reputable online car sale platform to gain the victim's trust.
The increasing use of models, algorithms, and code across the financial industry is reshaping how outcomes are generated. However, their limitations, such as explainability, embedded bias, and model drift may not be immediately apparent and may emerge only as these technologies gain scale, warns RBI deputy governor Shirish Chandra Murmu.
A 36-year-old man has been arrested in Thane, Maharashtra, for allegedly impersonating a CBI officer and defrauding people with false promises of jobs in the central agency.
The Indian government has extended the deadline for implementing SIM-binding rules for mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to December 31, following requests from the industry. The Department of Telecom has also relaxed the mandatory six-hour log-out rule for web versions of these apps.
"It's easier, easier than ever now to impersonate someone, to create deep fakes, to manipulate images, to misuse personal data. And most women, unfortunately, we don't know how to fight back," says Soha Ali Khan.
The proposed solution is a one-hour delay for digital transactions exceeding Rs 10,000, particularly when the transfer is made to a new or unverified beneficiary. The idea is simple -- give users a window to reconsider, detect fraud or alert their bank before the funds are irretrievably transferred.
Sebi cautions investors against fake notices demanding Securities Transaction Tax (STT) payments and warns about fraudsters posing as account handlers promising risk-free profits.
'Infertility and reproductive health challenges, much like other chronic conditions, are rising globally.'
The publicly exposed data includes 48 million accounts on Gmail, 4 million on Yahoo, 17 million on Facebook, 6.5 million on Instagram, 3.4 million on Netflix, 1.5 million on Outlook, etc.
Social media platform X argues that satire, fair comment, and public speech should be protected from takedown orders in personality rights cases during a Delhi High Court hearing involving Baba Ramdev's lawsuit.
'Just like oral hygiene, cyber hygiene must become a daily habit,' says Beena Vaheed, executive director, Bank of Baroda. 'It is not enough to rely only on banks, companies, or the government. Each of us must play our part.'
Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable due to their high savings, trust in authorities, and limited familiarity with online frauds.
'The way the attacks are coming has become much stronger and much wider because of AI.'
'Instead of the government and telecom operators solving the mess of their own creation, they're telling us we need to give access to our phones perpetually.'
Gaming and cyber security experts suggest how kids and parents can stay aware to fight the growing threats and miscreants who act from behind the screen.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta revealed a fake, verified X account created in the name of the 'Supreme Court of Karnataka' to highlight the dangers of unchecked online activity during a hearing on X Corp's petition challenging government takedown orders.
Fraudsters lure individuals with false promises of recovering bonuses or maturity proceeds from lapsed policies.
Outgoing Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has expressed concerns about long-pending cases questioning electoral processes, arguing they fuel distrust and should be scheduled with consideration for election periods. He also advocated for enhanced transparency in political promises, with clear disclosures on financial viability and impact on state finances. Kumar further stressed the need for a totaliser system to maintain polling station-wise voting confidentiality and urged the empowerment of NRIs to vote remotely. He highlighted the potential of biometric authentication and technology to address issues like impersonation and multiple voting.
After the National Stock Exchange (NSE), rival bourse BSE on Thursday cautioned investors against deepfake videos of its MD and CEO Sundararaman Ramamurthy giving stock recommendations. In a statement, the exchange said it has noticed some fake, unauthorised and fraudulent videos and audios created through innovative and ingenious technology impersonating the BSE's top honcho are being circulated on social media recommending certain investments and advisory in stocks.
Subhas Chandra Bose was under house arrest, yet he pulled out a daring escape from his Elgin Road residence in Calcutta to Germany via Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia...
Link your UPI app to a separate bank account or wallet that has only a limited sum.
The number of cyberfraud cases has skyrocketed from 2,677 in 1999-2000 to 29,082 in FY24 -- more than a 10-fold increase. The RBI pegs digital payment frauds at Rs 1,457 crore in FY24, up more than five times in a year. It's not just the number of frauds. What's alarming is the growing sophistication of the fraudsters, exposing the vulnerabilities within the financial system, observes Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy on Thursday called out "fake news items", which claimed he endorsed automated trading applications and warned the public not to fall for such fraudulent claims. He also slammed "fake interviews" that used "deepfake pictures and videos" of him. In a series of posts on X, Murthy drew the attention of the public to false content being put out by malicious sites and products or services being sold fraudulently using his name and urged people to report any such instances to the concerned regulatory authorities.
Digital ghosts have opened a new can of worms for digital experts.
