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Worried about WhatsApp username safety? Meta responds to concerns
Meta tells Khaleej Times how WhatsApp plans to protect users from fake accounts, lookalike handles and username-based scams
- PUBLISHED: Thu 2 Jul 2026, 7:24 PM UPDATED: Thu 2 Jul 2026, 8:17 PM
Meta has said WhatsApp’s upcoming username feature will include multiple safeguards to protect users from impersonation, scams and unwanted contact, as concerns grow around how handles could be misused once the feature goes live.
The company recently began allowing users to reserve preferred usernames on WhatsApp, but the ability to actually message people using usernames is not yet live. The feature is expected to roll out slowly later this year.
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In a statement to Khaleej Times, a Meta spokesperson addressed safety and security concerns surrounding its upcoming feature: “Users will receive additional context when someone contacts them for the first time through a username. This will include whether the sender is a new account, whether they are already in the user’s contacts, whether they share groups in common, and whether the sender is based in a different country.
The company said these signals are designed to help people decide whether they want to respond to an unknown sender.
To reduce impersonation, Meta said it has already held back the highest-profile names, including those linked to public figures, government entities, celebrities and verified Meta accounts, so they can only be claimed by legitimate owners. It said lookalike versions of known names are also being held and that users will still need a phone number to use WhatsApp, even after usernames become available.
Usernames will include several layers of protection. The spokesperson added, "We've built multiple layers of defense against scams into usernames: Other users need to know the exact username to message you, we will limit how many new people an account can contact, block repeated attempts to guess someone's username key, and have systems to detect and remove activity showing common impersonation and abuse patterns."
WhatsApp usernames are expected to improve privacy by allowing users to connect without immediately sharing their phone number. However, security experts have warned that lookalike handles could still be used by scammers to appear more credible, especially in cases involving fake businesses, public figures, banks, courier services or customer support accounts.
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