WhatsApp Bans 3.6 Million Mobile Connections to Combat Scam Calls, Reveals Indian Telecom Minister
During the nationwide launch of the Department of Telecom’s Sanchar Saathi website, Union telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw disclosed that popular instant messaging platform WhatsApp has taken action against a staggering 3.6 million mobile connections as part of their efforts to tackle fraud associated with scam calls. The minister was prompted to address the government’s initiatives in curbing fraudulent activities on WhatsApp when queried on the subject.
Vaishnaw responded by emphasizing the paramount importance of customer safety, stating that WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, has concurred with this viewpoint. Consequently, the platform has committed to deactivating services linked to any mobile phone number implicated in fraudulent practices.
“Our interactions with WhatsApp have been highly productive, with a shared focus on prioritizing customer safety. All over-the-top (OTT) platforms have shown proactive cooperation in deregistering users identified as fraudulent,” Vaishnaw remarked. “To date, we have disconnected 3.6 million mobile connections associated with fraud, concurrently blocking their corresponding WhatsApp accounts,” he added.
The move reflects a collaborative endeavor between the Indian government and WhatsApp, aiming to safeguard users from deceitful activities conducted through the messaging app.
