The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken a major step to prevent the misuse of WhatsApp accounts linked to inactive and cancelled mobile numbers. According to the PTA, telecom operators across Pakistan have approximately 16 million recycled mobile numbers that have been reissued to new users.
In collaboration with Meta, the PTA has developed a mechanism to permanently deactivate WhatsApp accounts registered against inactive or cancelled SIM cards.
Under the new system, WhatsApp accounts associated with deactivated or cancelled mobile numbers will be disabled to prevent unauthorised access and potential misuse.
The initiative aims to protect users’ personal information and ensure their privacy, particularly after mobile numbers are recycled and assigned to new subscribers.
The initiative aims to address growing concerns over the recycling of inactive mobile numbers and the potential security risks associated with the process. When a SIM card remains unused or is permanently deactivated, telecom operators may eventually reissue the same mobile number to another subscriber.
However, the previous owner may still have a WhatsApp account registered with that number. In such cases, the new subscriber could potentially receive verification codes and gain control of the number-linked WhatsApp account, creating risks of unauthorised access, account misuse and privacy breaches.
The situation could also expose personal conversations and other account-related information if the original owner fails to update their registered mobile number after losing access to the SIM.
To avoid such risks, the PTA has advised subscribers to ensure that their SIM cards remain active and that their WhatsApp accounts are registered with mobile numbers they currently own. Users who have changed their numbers or switched to another network are also encouraged to update their account details. WhatsApp offers a built-in Change Number feature that enables users to transfer their existing accounts to new mobile numbers without creating a separate account. The feature allows users to retain their account information while updating their registration to a number they currently use.
