ISLAMABAD – Meta has blocked 176,000 WhatsApp accounts linked to recycled mobile numbers following a request from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), as authorities step up efforts to prevent cyber fraud.
According to PTA officials, complaints had emerged about fraudulent activities carried out through WhatsApp accounts registered on inactive or cancelled mobile numbers.
Officials said such numbers were being reused, creating opportunities for individuals to exploit accounts associated with previous subscribers.
Telecom operators currently hold around 16 million recycled mobile numbers. The PTA has already shared details of 10 million such numbers with Meta for verification and necessary action.
The authority and Meta have also agreed on a mechanism to address the issue and prevent the misuse of recycled numbers.
Under the arrangement, the PTA will forward details of 5,000 recycled numbers to Meta every month, and WhatsApp accounts associated with them will be discontinued in phases.
PTA officials said the initiative was aimed at reducing cyber fraud involving inactive mobile connections and strengthening safeguards for WhatsApp users.
They added that Meta had resolved 82 per cent of the complaints received last year, reflecting progress in addressing reported issues through cooperation between the two sides.
