SINGAPORE – Popular messaging platform WhatsApp will be rolling out a new feature that lets users hide their phone numbers and show their preferred usernames instead.
Ahead of the feature’s roll-out later in 2026, the platform has already locked down high-profile usernames such as @LawrenceWong, @OngYeKung and @VivianBalakrishnan, The Straits Times has learnt.
These are the names of Singapore’s Prime Minister, Health Minister and Foreign Minister, respectively.
The lockdown prevents impostors from claiming the names of these public figures, government entities or celebrities, the tech platform told ST.
“To protect against impersonation, we’ve held the highest-profile names… so they can only ever be claimed by their legitimate owners. Lookalike derivatives of known names are held as well,” said a spokesperson.
Explaining such potential lookalikes, Santiago Pontiroli, threat intelligence research lead at cyber protection company Acronis’ Threat Research Unit, said handles used by fraudsters can feature visually similar characters or subtle spelling differences with convincing profile pictures to look legitimate.
For instance, a scammer may register the @ongyekungg handle to impersonate Singapore’s Health Minister.
ST checks showed that various permutations of Singapore politicians’ names have been locked. The locked names include @Lawrence_Wong, @LawrenceWongg and @LawrenceW0ng.
On June 29, WhatsApp started letting its three billion global users reserve a username ahead of the operational roll-out, a change meant to let people protect their privacy by hiding their phone number, which has so far been plain for all other users to see.
If a user enables a username, individuals or businesses he messages for the first time will not see his phone number unless they already have it saved.
Businesses that use WhatsApp to reach customers can also start to claim their new handle before someone else does.
Usernames are assigned on a first-come-first-served basis.
WhatsApp users may continue to use their mobile number if they choose not to select a username.
When disputes over usernames occur, a report against the impersonator may be submitted on WhatsApp’s website. The platform will then conduct a review and take action.
Anna Larkina, a web content and privacy expert at cybersecurity company Kaspersky, said that the shift puts control back in the hands of users.
“The feature is particularly valuable when communicating with contractors, businesses, or other third parties, as it prevents the phone number from entering external databases,” said Larkina.
Andy Prakash, the founder and chief executive of IT security company Privacy Ninja, said that phone numbers are increasingly used for critical authentication purposes, including password resets and one-time passwords.
“Reducing unnecessary exposure of this personal identifier is a meaningful privacy enhancement,” he said, adding that unsolicited calls and text messages can hopefully be reduced after the implementation of the feature.
Another safeguard is to disallow users from browsing a username directory. WhatsApp will also not suggest names as a sender types; the sender will need to know the exact username before he or she is allowed to start a conversation.
It will also offer an optional username key, a four-digit code that users require for new people initiating a connection.
The platform will block repeated attempts to guess a username key, as well as detect and remove accounts that exhibit suspicious behaviour. In addition, the platform will limit the number of new people that an account holder can contact.
However, WhatsApp’s assurances have not quelled concerns globally over cybercrime, financial fraud and online impersonation threats.
On July 1, India asked the platform to halt the launch of its new feature and initiated talks, as the Indian authorities continued its crackdown on messaging anonymity that began with Telegram. Parent company Meta was given until July 9 to respond.
New Delhi warned that the anonymity could fuel fraud.
Aaron Ng, an assistant professor and programme leader for the Singapore Institute of Technology’s Communication and Digital Media programme, said users can still be contacted on WhatsApp via their mobile numbers even after enabling usernames.
He also warned against a false sense of security with the feature as numerical permutations of phone numbers are easy to generate. He argued instead for more public education.
“What is more critical is to improve public education on scams to inculcate a sceptical mindset towards any individual one cannot see in person,” he said.