WhatsApp is changing how its three billion users connect with each other. The Meta-owned platform has begun rolling out a long-awaited username feature that lets people share a unique handle instead of their phone number when meeting someone new. WhatsApp said the change was designed as a core privacy feature with no public directory of usernames and no autocomplete suggestions, meaning users will need to know someone’s exact username to reach them for the first time. The first country wave went live on July 7, 2026, with the rest of the world following through September.
For Bangladesh, where WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging apps alongside Facebook Messenger and IMO, the update raises an obvious question. Will hiding phone numbers behind usernames make the platform safer, or will it hand scammers a new tool to exploit?
How the Username System Works
Once live, users can create a handle between three and 35 characters, similar to a social media username. Usernames cannot start with “www.” as this could cause users to believe they are interacting with an official website, and for the same reason usernames also cannot end with a domain like .com or .net. The handle must also be free across Instagram and Facebook, since Meta wants consistency across its apps.
Importantly, phone numbers are not disappearing. Your phone number stays hidden from them, but it remains linked to your account for login, verification, and recovery, so it is no longer the information you hand out every time you want to chat. Users can also set a short numeric key that others must know before they can message a new username, adding a layer of control over who initiates contact.
The Privacy Upside
For many Bangladeshi users, this could be a genuine improvement. Phone numbers on WhatsApp have long been an easy way for strangers, marketers, and fraudsters to identify and pester people, since a number often reveals which network a person uses and can be cross-referenced with mobile financial service accounts like bKash or Nagad. A username-based system means people can interact on freelancing groups, buy-and-sell pages, or dating and networking chats without exposing a number tied to their financial identity.
Where the Scam Risk Creeps In
That said, cybersecurity observers caution that any new identity layer brings a learning curve, and scammers are usually quick to exploit confusion during a transition period. In Bangladesh, where digital literacy around app updates is uneven, fraudsters could impersonate WhatsApp support, banks, or government services by asking users to “verify” or “claim” a username through fake links. Since the feature is new and unfamiliar, phishing messages disguised as official WhatsApp notifications about username setup are a realistic near-term threat.
There is also a risk around impersonation. Popular businesses, NGOs, or public figures with recognizable names could see their identity mimicked by someone claiming a similar username before the real account does, a tactic already common on Instagram and Facebook.
What Bangladeshi Users Should Do
WhatsApp has said it is adding safeguards, including spam-pattern detection and limits on how many new contacts an account can initiate. The company told one user on X that it has added multiple new features to help users defend themselves from scammers, including optional username keys that mean people can only contact a user if they have both the username and its key.
For users in Bangladesh, the safest approach is simple. Set the username key feature once available, avoid clicking links claiming to help “activate” a username, and confirm any change to a business or service account through its verified page rather than a forwarded message.
The username rollout is a meaningful privacy upgrade, but like most new digital features, it will likely see a short window where scammers test the waters before platforms and users catch up.
Summary
WhatsApp’s new username feature lets users hide their phone number and connect via handles instead. As Bangladesh adopts this privacy tool, experts weigh whether it could also become a fresh playground for scammers targeting unsuspecting users online.
