Popular Ghanaian-Nigerian actress Nadia Buari has issued a strong warning to her fans and followers about the growing threat of WhatsApp impersonators, just days after the messaging platform introduced its new username feature.
In an emotional Instagram post, the actress revealed her shock and frustration after attempting to create a WhatsApp username, only to discover that every possible variation of her name had already been claimed by others.
“Ugh, why are people like this???… I was trying to create this WhatsApp username thing, only to realize 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.
Buari expressed deep concern that fraudsters are moving extremely fast to snatch up identities online, using the new WhatsApp usernames to deceive people more easily since users can now connect without sharing phone numbers. She urged everyone to stay vigilant.
“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,” the actress warned.
WhatsApp recently rolled out the username feature to enhance user privacy, allowing people to chat without revealing their personal phone numbers. While the move aims to improve safety, it has also opened new doors for scammers who quickly claim celebrity names and impersonate them to trick fans into sending money or sharing sensitive information.
Nadia Buari has previously warned fans about fake accounts using her images and identity on platforms like Snapchat and Facebook. Her latest alert comes at a time when online impersonation scams are on the rise across Africa, with many victims losing money to fraudsters posing as celebrities, friends, or family members.
The incident serves as a timely reminder for all social media users to be cautious, especially with new platform features that scammers are quick to exploit.