According to News18, the messaging app announced that it will start making usernames available, allowing people to communicate without sharing their phone numbers. Users can reserve usernames through “Settings,” then “Account,” then “Username.” The feature will be rolled out more widely later this year.
Although WhatsApp presented the move as a privacy-focused update, entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Wariko warned that the feature could turn into a “disaster” in a country like India if WhatsApp does not put in place strong systems to combat abuse.
“This could be a disaster if WhatsApp does not put in place appropriate systems to combat abuse,” Wariko wrote on the “X” platform.
He explained how scammers can create usernames that resemble those of public figures and influencers. “Imagine receiving a message from warikoo, awarikoo, ankurwarikooo, ankur_warikoo, a_warikoo, ankurwarikooofficial, etc., asking for money,” he said.
Wariko pointed out that many users still have difficulty understanding authentication badges even on current social media platforms. He considered that the username feature removes an important layer of security, because users will no longer be able to verify a person’s identity via the phone number.
He added: “It is not possible to verify by calling the phone number, because the username means privacy.”
Wariko also pointed to his previous legal battle with Meta over fraudulent AI-generated ads that allegedly used his face to lure people into fake WhatsApp groups for investing.
“I fought a legal case against Meta’s failure to remove AI-generated ads showing my face luring people to investment groups on WhatsApp. I understand the scale of this scam and how easy it is to carry out in our country,” he wrote.
His concerns sparked widespread discussion online, with many agreeing that WhatsApp’s huge user base in India could make the feature dangerous if it is not subject to adequate oversight.
YouTuber Dhruv Rathi also entered the discussion, criticizing Meta’s way of dealing with fraud on its platforms.
He said: “They don’t care. The only goal of Zuckerberg’s team is to extract as much money as possible. They willingly allow fraudulent ads and scams to pass on their other platforms. And now they are likely to allow the same thing to happen on WhatsApp.”
On the other hand, other users saw that impersonation already exists on platforms such as “X”, “Facebook” and “Telegram”, and that the responsibility for verifying the identity ultimately falls on the users themselves.
One wrote: “This could happen even today, couldn’t it? Anyone could simply use your photo and name and send a message from any other phone number.”
Another said: “But the same thing can happen on X too, on Facebook too, and on Telegram too. Why does it become a problem just because it’s WhatsApp?”
Other users hoped that WhatsApp would later introduce a blue authentication badge or stronger reporting systems, with the aim of reducing abuse of the feature.
“The username feature was introduced in WhatsApp in the name of privacy, but in a country like India, it may turn into a haven for fraudsters,” one user warned, calling for strong verification and anti-impersonation systems.
On the other hand, some users treated the matter with sarcasm. One wrote: “Calm down man. No one will send money to usernames that look like yours. Instead they will message me asking if I can afford a new BMW with my salary or not.”
With more than 850 million users in India alone, the introduction of the usernames feature in WhatsApp is expected to be closely monitored in the coming months, especially to see whether the platform is able to balance privacy and protection against fraud and impersonation.
