Overview
- Attorney General R. Venkataramani told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that WhatsApp disabled 9,400 accounts after a 12‑week probe launched in January 2026.
- WhatsApp deployed tools that match fake police logos, log display names, use large language models to flag impersonation, and warn users about first‑time contacts, and it will retain deleted‑account data for 180 days to aid investigations.
- The investigation traced many networks to organised scam hubs in Southeast Asia, especially Cambodia, where operators used names like “Delhi Police” and official‑looking insignia to coerce victims.
- Telecom measures now in motion include SIM binding on WhatsApp within four to six months, a Biometric Identity Verification System targeted by DoT for nationwide SIM checks by December 2026, and faster blocking of suspicious SIMs within two to three hours.
- The CBI set a ₹10 crore loss threshold and re‑registered three cases, including a ₹22.92 crore Delhi fraud, while the RBI told banks to place temporary holds on flagged transfers, as government data cites about 2.41 lakh complaints and roughly ₹30,000 crore in losses.