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.
India's markets regulator, Sebi, has issued a warning to listed companies and regulated entities about an emerging cyber fraud known as the "Boss Scam." This scam involves fraudsters impersonating senior officials like CEOs or MDs to trick finance teams into transferring funds, often using advanced AI tools or malicious software. Sebi advises organisations to verify requests independently and report incidents to prevent financial losses.
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.
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 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.
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.
A 68-year-old Mumbai resident was defrauded of Rs 7.21 crore by cyber criminals who threatened her with false accusations of money laundering and terror funding. The fraudsters coerced her into transferring funds to bank accounts and a cryptocurrency wallet after impersonating officials from various agencies.
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.
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 BJP leader in Nagpur has filed a police complaint after his WhatsApp account was hacked and used to solicit money from his contacts.
Mumbai Cyber Police have apprehended six individuals, including an IIT graduate and a bank manager, for allegedly defrauding a senior citizen of Rs 1.12 crore through a "digital arrest" scam. The victim was coerced into transferring funds after being threatened with family arrest by impersonators.
A frozen phone screen, a fake customer-care call, a screen-sharing request or even a duplicate SIM can give cybercriminals a route into your bank account.
The Enforcement Directorate is investigating a large-scale cyber fraud operation involving 5,300 Indian SIM cards used from Cambodia by a Malaysian national-led gang, duping people of hundreds of crores. The probe follows raids in Rajasthan and Punjab, identifying 30 bank accounts linked to the fraud.
Rajasthan Police dismantled a cyber fraud operation, arresting 17 individuals for allegedly defrauding an accountant of Rs 5.30 crore by impersonating his company's chairman on WhatsApp.
A 60-year-old retired man and 21 others in Thane district were allegedly defrauded of over Rs 31 lakh through a malicious link disguised as a piped gas bill update. The victims received an APK file via WhatsApp, leading to unauthorised debits from their bank accounts.
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.
Gurugram Police have arrested four individuals allegedly involved in an online betting fraud operation. The accused lured users with online gaming advertisements, processed payments through QR codes, and earned commissions on deposits.
Gurugram Police have arrested a man from Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, for his alleged involvement in an Rs 8.30 lakh cyber fraud. The accused provided his bank account, which was used to receive the cheated amount from a victim who was subjected to a "digital arrest" by fraudsters impersonating government officials. The investigation is ongoing to trace other individuals involved.
Gurugram Police have arrested a man from Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, for his alleged involvement in an Rs 8.30 lakh cyber fraud. The accused provided his bank account, which was used to receive the cheated amount from a victim who was subjected to a "digital arrest" by fraudsters impersonating government officials. The investigation is ongoing to trace other individuals involved.
Kerala Police have issued a warning about a new form of cyber fraud targeting people buying mattresses online. Fraudsters pose as fake customer care representatives of mattress companies and pressure customers into making immediate payments.
Gujarat CID has arrested Rafiqul Alam, the alleged 'mastermind' behind 1,090 cybercrimes totalling Rs 1,071.5 crore, who was found to have links with China-based criminals and converted illicit funds into cryptocurrencies.
Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sinha Biswas has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a fraud and extortion case linked to the Sona Pappu network.
The Delhi High Court denied anticipatory bail to a man accused in an organised cyber fraud case involving the transfer of approximately Rs 1 crore in cryptocurrency. The court emphasised the need for custodial interrogation to unearth the larger conspiracy and recover the cheated amount.
Indore police have busted a gang involved in investment fraud, arresting five individuals and uncovering links to a WhatsApp account operated from Cambodia.
Delhi Police have dismantled a cyber fraud racket involving malicious mobile applications, arresting two individuals, including the alleged mastermind from Uttar Pradesh. The accused developed and supplied 'FUD' APK files to cyber fraudsters across the country, enabling them to gain remote access to victims' phones and siphon off money.
Do not share OTPs, PINs, authentication codes, card numbers, card verification values (CVVs), KYC details, security answers, Internet-banking passwords or Aadhaar-based authentication credentials through SMS, e-mail or phone calls.
Delhi Police have dismantled an interstate cyber fraud syndicate with links to foreign operators in Cambodia, arresting eight individuals involved in an online investment scam. The accused, including those with advanced educational qualifications, allegedly defrauded a complainant of Rs 24 lakh through a fake online trading platform.
Gujarat police have dismantled a Rs 77 crore cyber fraud operation with links to 375 cases nationwide, arresting 16 individuals and uncovering international connections.
'...in which our names are written with our phone numbers.'
The WhatsApp account of the Barwani district collector in Madhya Pradesh was hacked, with fraudsters sending messages to her contacts requesting money.
A former scheduled caste promoter of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation was arrested in connection with an alleged Rs 75 lakh subsidy fraud under a self-employment scheme for women of the marginalised community.
Can your money be protected against online frauds like hacking, digital arrests, etc?
Mumbai Police have arrested three men from Jharkhand for creating and selling fraudulent APK files used to scam people, particularly during a recent shortage of LPG cylinders.
Jharkhand police have uncovered an interstate cyber fraud network and arrested four individuals involved in fraudulent transactions across 24 states. The investigation was initiated following inputs from the Union Home Ministry's 'Samanvaya portal', leading to the discovery of a bank account in Ramgarh district used for the illicit activities.
A senior bank executive in Mumbai was defrauded of 97.78 lakh by cyber criminals through a fake share market investment scheme.
An Indian Parliamentary standing committee has demanded an apology from Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg within three days for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video from Facebook, threatening to withdraw immunity under the IT Act if he fails to comply. The committee also pushed for government action against Google India regarding financial fraud.
A nurse in Mumbai was allegedly cheated of 1 lakh after attempting to purchase a dress online for 299, police said.
The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has arrested two members of an inter-state organised gang from Jammu and Kashmir for their alleged involvement in cyber fraud.
A 78-year-old woman in Mumbai was defrauded of over 25 lakh after a scammer gained access to her mobile phone under the guise of updating her electricity bill details.
