- There are reports of WhatsApp username spoofing issues
- WhatsApp and Meta say that popular names are reserved
- India wants username reservation rollout stopped
WhatsApp will launch a username feature later this year, to let you add contacts without revealing your phone number, but while reservations have been activated for many users, there are reports that username spoofing is already a problem.
According to tests conducted by TechCrunch, usernames very similar to Indian politicians, celebrities, business figures, and public institutions are available. They include ‘indiamodi’ (for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and ‘shahrukh.actor’ for Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.
This approach in India is because the country’s authorities have already asked WhatsApp to suspend username reservations. According to the BBC, the Indian government suggests that WhatsApp usernames could “increase cybercrimes” such as online fraud and phishing scams, which are already major concerns in the country.
The idea is that usernames could allow scammers to operate without revealing their numbers (which can appear on blacklists). If those scammers also pose as well-known figures, then the problems get worse.
Get in line
Username reservations are here, as more and more people claim theirs, here are answers to the top questions you ask ⬇️Q: Are usernames required?A: No, they are optional.Q: What if the username I want is not available?A: There are a few reasons why you may not be able to…July 1, 2026
WhatsApp has seen it coming. Announcing the feature, it said that handles of well-known people would be reserved for those people, including the usernames of politicians, VIPs and other celebrities.
“People make false claims about reserving popular or well-known usernames,” WhatsApp says. “This is not true, only legitimate account owners can reserve names of well-known public figures.” WhatsApp owner Meta repeated the same line when contacted by TechCrunch.
However, it is unclear how many variations of famous names and identities are covered by this block. It seems that with enough imagination you can find functional alternatives, although of course once you start including different spellings, numbers and additional words, username spoofing becomes less convincing.
It’s a challenge that all social platforms have to face, including Meta-owned Instagram and Facebook. However, with WhatsApp the connection is more direct and potential scams are more plausible, which may affect the rollout of the feature around the world.
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