Near 2 Lac Pakistani WhatsApp Accounts Blocked

For context, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked 176, 000 WhatsApp accounts registered against recycled mobile numbers in collaboration with Meta to prevent cyber fraud and protect mobile subscribers.

Key points

• Under a new permanent arrangement, PTA will share 5, 000 recycled mobile numbers with Meta every month so the platform can identify and block associated accounts.
• The authority has shared around 10 million recycled mobile numbers with Meta for verification and identification of WhatsApp accounts registered against them.
• According to PTA authorities, telecom operators at present hold around 16 million recycled mobile numbers.
• PTA authorities additionally made public that Meta resolved 82 percent of complaints forwarded by the regulator during the previous year.
• When telecom operators matter these numbers to new subscribers, existing WhatsApp accounts may remain linked to the numbers.

PTA authorities stated the accounts were deactivated at the regulator's request after complaints that recycled mobile numbers were being applied to commit fraud through WhatsApp. PTA Starts Blocking WhatsApp Accounts Linked to Inactive SIMs.

For context, the authority has shared around 10 million recycled mobile numbers with Meta for verification and identification of WhatsApp accounts registered against them.

According to PTA authorities, telecom operators at present hold around 16 million recycled mobile numbers. These numbers can create security risks when WhatsApp accounts linked to them remain active after the original SIM cards have been cancelled or deactivated.

When telecom operators matter these numbers to new subscribers, existing WhatsApp accounts may remain linked to the numbers. This can create opportunities for fraudsters to misuse those accounts and potentially target new subscribers.

Under the agreed mechanism, WhatsApp accounts associated with recycled numbers will be identified and blocked in phases.

PTA authorities additionally made public that Meta resolved 82 percent of complaints forwarded by the regulator during the previous year. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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Taken together, the developments around near 2 Lac Pakistani WhatsApp Accounts Blocked point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.