WhatsApp Bans Over 9,400 Accounts In India In 2026, Here Is Why

In a major crackdown on Digital Arrest scams in India, the Meta-owned popular instant messaging platform WhatsApp banned more than 9,400 accounts related to digital arrest scams in the country. According to a report, the action was taken over a 12-week period starting January 2026, the Meta app informed the Supreme Court of India.As reported by Bar and Bench, the information was shared in court by Attorney General R Venkataramani in a case about the rising number of such scams.What Is Digital Arrest?Digital arrest is a scam where fraudsters act like police or government officials to scare people into paying money. They usually contact victims through phone calls or apps like WhatsApp or Signal and falsely say the person is involved in serious

crimes such as drug trafficking, money laundering or illegal parcels.The scammers create panic by threatening arrest or legal action. In many cases, they keep the victim on a video call for hours and control the situation -- this is what they call 'digital arrest.' They also tell the victim not to talk to family or friends.However, there is no such thing as a digital arrest. Police in our country do not arrest anyone over phone or video calls. This is only a trick used by fraudsters to create fear and pressure.Digital Arrest Scam: How An 81-Year-Old Father Saved His Son From Losing Rs 12 Lakh

Once the victim is scared, the scammers ask for personal details like Aadhaar, bank information, or OTPs and eventually demand money to 'close the case' or 'clear the name'. The end goal is simple -- scare people into transferring money.According to the report, WhatsApp said many of these scam accounts were being run from Southeast Asia, mainly Cambodia. The social app also worked closely with Indian agencies like the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Department of Telecommunications during the investigation.The report further mentioned that while government agencies had initially flagged around 3,800 accounts, WhatsApp’s internal systems helped uncover a much bigger network, leading to thousands more bans.To tackle such frauds, the Meta-owned app has introduced new safety tools. It has also created a database of scam-related content to quickly catch repeat offenders.KYC Violations, Fake Bank Accounts, and Insider Links: How Hyderabad's 150 Crore Cyber Fraud Haunted Hundreds The instant messaging app is also rolling out user-focused safety features. These include warnings for messages from unknown numbers, showing how old an account is, limiting profile photo visibility in risky chats, and improved caller identification.WhatsApp said its approach is not limited to acting on individual complaints. Instead, it tries to track and break entire scam networks.However, the company admitted that many scams go beyond the app. As per WhatsApp, stopping such crimes fully will require coordinated action between multiple countries.As reported by Bar and Bench, the Supreme Court has taken serious note of the issue. The Apex court even observed that scammers are now creating fake court orders with forged signatures, calling the situation alarming and a threat to public trust.How To Deal With Such Scams- If you ever face a 'digital arrest' scam, stay calm and don’t panic. These scammers work by creating fear. If someone try to threaten you with arrest over a call or video, disconnect immediately. - Never share personal or financial details like Aadhaar, bank info, OTPs or passwords, and do not send money to 'settle' any case. - If someone claims to be from police or any agency, verify it yourself by contacting your nearest police station. - You should also report the incident on the cyber crime helpline or official portal. - Most importantly, inform a family member or someone you trust.