Ghanaian-Nigerian actress Nadia Buari has expressed concern over Meta’s latest WhatsApp update, which introduces usernames, warning fans about the increasing risk of online identity theft and impersonation.
Taking to her Instagram page, Nadia revealed that she tried to secure a WhatsApp username but was surprised to find that multiple variations of her name had already been taken.
She described the situation as both frustrating and alarming, noting that impersonators appear to be moving quickly to claim celebrity identities for potential scams.
“Why are people like this???… I was trying to create this WhatsApp username thing, only to realise every single variation of my name is already gone. Every. Single. One. Nadia Buari…Taken. Nadia S Buari…Taken. NSB….Taken. Even theNadiaBuari—like, seriously?! It’s exhausting and honestly kind of scary,” she wrote.
The actress went on to caution her followers to stay alert, stressing that fraudsters often take advantage of new digital features to deceive unsuspecting users.
“At this point, it’s clear fraudsters and imposters are lurking everywhere, ready to snatch up anything just to mislead people. Please, be careful out there and stay vigilant, because if they’re this quick with usernames, imagine what else they’re up to,” she added.
Her warning comes as Meta gradually rolls out the new WhatsApp username feature across different regions worldwide.