WhatsApp Partners Department of Telecommunications to Tackle Scams and Digital Fraud

WhatsApp has partnered with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in order to curb the misuse of telecom resources for digital fraud and scams. The messaging platform will work with the telecom department's Digital Intelligence Unit, utilising relevant information to prevent these resources from being used for financial fraud and cybercrime in the country. Users will have access to content that provides advice on identifying and reporting spam and online scams — these materials will also be available in eight regional languages.

WhatsApp to Develop Informative Materials on Identifying Spam and Online Scams

As part of WhatsApp's ongoing 'Scam se Bacho' campaign that was launched last year in partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Meta-owned messaging service will work with the DoT to curb the rise of scams and digital frauds that rely on the misuse of telecom resources in India.

In order to raise awareness about online fraud and scams, Meta says it will conduct train-the-trainer workshops for telecom department officials, Sanchar Mitras (student volunteers), telecom service providers, and field units. The DoT's Digital Intelligence Unit will also share information that could help the service address digital fraud and cybercrime in a proactive manner.

Meta has also announced that it will develop informative content for users, providing details of common online scams and fraud, and how they can be identified and reported. These materials will be available in Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu.

Joel Kaplan, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Meta, discussed the ongoing collaboration with Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday. Meta was previously working with MeitY, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), as part of the Scam se Bacho campaign.

“The best way to stop people falling victim to scams and online fraud is to make sure they know what to look out for and what they can do to stay safe. [...] By working with the Department of Telecommunications, we can combine our technological expertise with the government's commitment to citizen safety and help give Indians the knowledge they need to stay safe,” Kaplan said in a prepared statement.