Once an innovative instant messaging service, WhatsApp today offers businesses one of the most effective ways to reach users. But, like text messages and calls, the extension has come with spam and scams. What is happening to WhatsApp? How can we stay safe? Mint explains:
How is WhatsApp now?
Many users have reported receiving spam and scam calls and messages on WhatsApp from unknown international numbers. This prompted Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar to say that the Ministry of Electronics has taken note of the complaints and will be sending a notice to the forum. WhatsApp issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to user-safety and security. It also claimed that it has beefed up its artificial intelligence and machine learning systems to combat such abuses, and that its new enforcement regime will bring them down by “at least 50%”.
Why have such calls/texts increased?
It is unclear whether the application program interface of WhatsApp Business is being used for these scams. However, users have started receiving texts from multiple businesses since the platform introduced the feature, leaving them with even more spam. While WhatsApp doesn’t charge general users for messaging, businesses provide a revenue source to the firm. It has more than 2 billion users worldwide, which could make it one of the most lucrative revenue sources for Meta, which owns WhatsApp. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says business chat can drive revenue faster than the Metaverse.
Is WhatsApp the only platform being misused?
No. Last year Google blocked its rich communication services in India after they were used to spam users. Many scams on WhatsApp lead users to Telegram, another platform that offers encrypted messaging. Telegram groups have long been known as a hotbed for scams, including those designed around cryptocurrencies and get-rich-quick schemes.
How are spammers doing it?
Application Program Interfaces or APIs allow third parties to build on top of the powerful platform. In 2018, data firm Cambridge Analytics misused Facebook APIs to profile individual users ahead of the US elections. That said, in this case, scammers may be using free websites to create virtual phone numbers, which they use to sign up for WhatsApp. This doesn’t necessarily require a commercial API. Text and SMS scams actually date back to the days before WhatsApp.
What can we do about this problem?
Experts say WhatsApp should stop allowing sign-ups with virtual phone numbers and find a way to block websites that generate these numbers. Another approach would be if the platform stopped allowing messages from unknown numbers, but this could lead to a worse user-experience: it would mean that only people who have close contacts with each other can text or call. K’s numbers are. Users should block and report unknown callers and texts, and it is in WhatsApp’s best interest to retain users for the long term.
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