WhatsApp Takes Action, Bans 9,400 Accounts Linked to Digital Arrest Scams

As part of a coordinated regulatory action, Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, has terminated 9,400 accounts in India since January 2026 for their involvement in digital arrest schemes. The decision was made in response to mounting regulatory pressure and an increase in online fraud cases affecting Indian consumers.

These cases were revealed in a recent status report submitted to the Supreme Court by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Law enforcement, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and digital platforms are all involved in a broader government initiative to combat sophisticated financial cybercrime, which includes the enforcement action. Recent measures implemented by WhatsApp include enhanced platform security, biometric verification methods, and expedited SIM blocking.

How WhatsApp Identified these Scammers?

WhatsApp took steps to combat impersonation-based assaults in January by instituting a systematic investigative process, discovering scam networks, and introducing new automatic defences like logo detection and caller alert systems. According to the messaging platform, just 17 identities were linked to digital arrest schemes out of 3,800 that were warned under Section 79 of the IT Act. Still, 9,400 accounts were banned because it expanded its inquiry beyond official sources.

The majority of these impersonation schemes, according to the platform's status report, were based in Southeast Asian countries, particularly Cambodia. They circulated via networks of accounts and organisations that frequently shared identities, recycled content, and coordinated their actions. WhatsApp has also announced its plans to implement SIM binding, in line with a Department of Technology directive from November of last year. The circular ordered all online messaging services to implement SIM binding for their customers. The new rule's deadline has been extended by the Centre till the end of the current year. According to WhatsApp, their SIM binding capability will be fully released in four to six months.

WhatsApp to Add Additional Security Features

Additionally, WhatsApp will consider adding more user protection features, according to the status report. These improvements will mirror Skype's, fortify protection against harmful APK downloads, and suggest measures to deal with lengthy scam calls. Meanwhile, authorities are moving quickly to deploy various digital security measures.

By December 2026, the DoT hopes to have implemented a nationwide biometric identification verification system (BIVS) for SIM card issuing. To further restrict the use of fake or "mule" SIM cards in cybercrimes, the deployment also incorporates a SIM-binding requirement, which states that devices can only access the platform if they have a KYC-verified SIM card physically present. Within two or three hours of detection, telecom companies will disable SIMs they deem suspect.