The next generation of digital products must be more inclusive and accessible to rural and semi-urban populations, according to WhatsApp India’s head of payments.
The instant messaging service WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, recently debuted a campaign called “Scam Se Bacho” to raise user awareness and educate them about making secure online payments.
In India, the payment feature of WhatsApp was first introduced in November 2020. According to the rules set forth by the National Payments Corporation of India, WhatsApp can only roll out Payments on WhatsApp to 100 million users.
Manesh Mahatme, head of payments for WhatsApp India, explains the motivation behind the platform’s most recent campaign, explaining that an increase in fraud incidents prompted them to develop a safe and secure digital payments ecosystem.
“UPI continues to be among the most secure, practical, and interoperable payment methods. However, it is crucial to raise people’s understanding of how to protect oneself from fraud and scams while using digital payment methods, according to Mahatme.
WhatsApp’s “Scams Se Bacho” campaign uses a parody version of the popular Bollywood song “Dekh Ke Chalo” to spread the social message. The advertisement depicts several actual situations that individuals encounter regularly. The idea of using caution while making digital payments is reinforced by illustrating these real-world scenarios where people may be prey to scammers.
The campaign’s objective, according to Mahatme, is to inform and enlighten every Indian who uses digital payments. “In particular, individuals who are new to the realm of digital payments may occasionally need such reminders. Instead of using advertising, WhatsApp intended to raise awareness and sensitively communicate with the public.
According to him, “Our goal of redoing a catchy, nostalgic song was to leverage the power of music to send a strong message that will aid people in connecting with the situations that we all face in life. Additionally, we wanted to draw attention to the security resources people can access when using WhatsApp payments.
A unique UPI PIN must be entered for each payment as part of the platform’s stringent security and privacy guidelines. There are no monies received, transferred, or stored by WhatsApp. Direct transfers of funds are made between banks.
Mahatme reveals some of WhatsApp’s future intentions for payments, saying, “With our deliberate changes and ongoing investments in research and development, we want to make the payments service more robust and user-friendly. In India, we have big plans for “payments on WhatsApp,” with a particular emphasis on raising awareness and encouraging user adoption.
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