Government calls for action against rising WhatsApp scams, calls on Meta to tackle growing security threats

The rise in scams on messaging platforms like WhatsApp has sparked 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 called on Meta Platforms, the parent company of WhatsApp, to take decisive action. The government is actively working with Meta to tackle the ongoing issue, with MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan admitting that scammers are constantly finding new ways to take advantage of users.

Government efforts to solve the problem

In an interview with the Economic Times, Krishnan emphasized 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 complaint officer outside the platform. If not resolved, the issues may be referred to the complaints appeal committee, as prescribed by the IT rules.

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TRAI calls for stricter measures

Trai is especially concerned about scam calls and messages originating from WhatsApp. In a statement to The Economic Times, Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti confirmed that MeitY had looked into the WhatsApp calls, with Trai calling for further action to curb the issue. The telecommunications regulator’s concerns stem from the growing abuse of over-the-top (OTT) apps, such as WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram, which are now beyond the direct control of Trai and the Ministry Telecommunications (DoT).

However, the challenge remains managing content sent on encrypted platforms like WhatsApp and Signal. “Whatsapp and Signal, being end-to-end encrypted platforms, it is almost impossible to regulate the content sent on these platforms. However, of course, measures can be taken to block numbers/ users are sending spam messages, said Prasanth SUGAthan, Chief Legal Officer, SFLC.in for HT Tech.

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Challenges with OTT platform regulation

While WhatsApp has shown some cooperation, including blocking numbers at the request of the government, platforms like Signal and Telegram remain largely unregulated. This lack of oversight makes it difficult to prevent scams, especially on apps with large user bases like WhatsApp. Telecom operators – Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone-Idea- have expressed frustration over their inability to control spam and scams on OTT platforms. Despite blocking requests from the DoT, international phone numbers that facilitate fraud continue to circumvent local regulations.

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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 stronger regulations for OTT apps to protect users from scams.