WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging platforms in the world, has been targeted for fraudulent use by malicious individuals and entities. In this article, we will explain how to report fraud involving WhatsApp numbers in the context of brand misuse, the necessary procedures to address this issue, and the specific challenges of this platform due to its end-to-end encryption.
Types of Fraud on WhatsApp
Before starting the reporting process, it is essential to understand how the fraud is being carried out. Cases can be classified into two main types:
Fraud in the contact profile: This occurs when a WhatsApp number uses misleading information in its profile, such as name, photo, and description, to impersonate a brand or official representative.
How to report: In this case, the report can be made directly through Axur, provided that all evidence is attached to the ticket.
Required evidence:
Screenshot of the contact profile, including name, photo, and description.
Any other information that proves the misuse of the brand.
Fraud in message content: This occurs when the fraud is in the messages sent by the contact, such as scam or phishing attempts.
How to report: The first step is to report the contact directly through the WhatsApp application before formalizing the report via Axur.
Required evidence:
Screenshots of the fraudulent messages.
Indications of how the contact presents itself (e.g., claiming to be an official channel of the brand).
Examples of the fraudulent approach used.
Handling Fraudulent Use of WhatsApp Numbers
Reporting through the WhatsApp application (for message fraud):
If the fraud is in the message content, the first step is to report the account through the WhatsApp application itself. This ensures that Meta receives the necessary information for evaluation.
To report a contact through the app:
Open the conversation with the suspicious contact.
Tap on the contact's name or number to access the information.
Scroll to the bottom and select "Report Contact."
Choose whether to block and report the contact.
Submit the report.
After this step, proceed with registering the ticket on Axur and attach the screenshots of the fraudulent messages.
Ticket registration and reporting via form and email:
After understanding where the fraud is occurring and reporting it through WhatsApp (when necessary), formalize the removal request by registering a ticket:
Create a specific ticket for “Fraudulent Brand Use”
Use the appropriate URL format to track and document the case: https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=1AAAXXXXXXXXX, where:
1 is the country code for the United States of America.
AAA represents the area code.
XXXXXXXXX is the suspect phone number.
Send an email to the appropriate WhatsApp channels with the evidence of the case.
Use the official WhatsApp support form to notify the support team.
Specific Challenges of WhatsApp
WhatsApp presents specific challenges due to its end-to-end encryption, which prevents direct monitoring of messages. This means that Meta can only act based on user reports and the contact profile information.
For this reason, it is essential that:
Evidence of the fraud is attached to the ticket.
The report in the app is made before registering the ticket (when the fraud is in the messages).
The WhatsApp support form is filled out correctly to complement the request.
Follow-up and Case Closure
All information collected or provided during the Takedown process is recorded and documented in the ticket. Cases remain under monitoring for up to 45 days after the request is submitted.
If the phone number is removed within this period, the ticket is closed as Resolved. Within the Resolved status, there are three possible closure outcomes, depending on the case status:
Page Takedown: The platform successfully removed the reported profile.
WhatsApp Account Suspended: The platform suspended access to the account. As a result, the user can no longer perform any activities associated with it, such as sending or receiving messages. However, the profile picture and/or cover image may remain visible, even though the number is no longer active for message distribution.
Content Adjustment: Changes were made to the reported profile, and it no longer presents an active risk to the monitored brand.
It is important to note that the platform is responsible for determining which of these three scenarios applies to a report. Therefore, as soon as one of the changes described above is identified, the ticket is closed as Resolved.
If WhatsApp does not remove the phone number within the monitoring period, the ticket is closed as Not Resolved.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at [email protected] 😊