The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has revealed that it reported 1,043 fake accounts to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and WhatsApp, for blocking and removal in 2024. These accounts included impersonations of government officials, politicians, and ordinary citizens.
In addition to tackling fake accounts, the PTA also processed 37 cases of hacked social media accounts this year, comprising 27 Facebook accounts and 10 WhatsApp accounts. These cases were forwarded to Meta for restoration. However, the regulator clarified that it does not maintain detailed records of hacking complaints from previous years, as users often report such incidents directly to social media platforms. Meta encourages direct reporting to ensure faster communication and resolution.
Causes of Hacking and Fake Accounts
The PTA has identified several factors contributing to social media account hacking and the creation of fake IDs. These include:
- Social engineering scams
- Data breaches
- Use of unsecured public Wi-Fi
- Malware and weak passwords
- Lack of two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Use of free virtual private networks (VPNs)
PTA’s Recommendations for Online Security
To combat these issues, the PTA has emphasized the importance of digital literacy and proactive measures to secure online accounts. The authority regularly conducts public awareness campaigns through SMS, print, and social media to educate users on account safety.
The PTA has also issued the following recommendations to enhance account security:
- Use stronger passwords and update them regularly.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for all accounts.
- Avoid sharing one-time passwords (OTPs) or security codes with anyone.
- Refrain from using public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities.
- Log out of shared devices after use.
- Limit permissions granted to third-party applications.
