Delhi HC orders Facebook and WhatsApp to block accounts misusing Razorpay name

The Delhi High Court (HC) has asked messaging platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook and NPCI to close accounts and UPI IDs that misuse the name of payments company Razorpay for fraudulent activities.

In a John Doe order, the Supreme Court ordered the blocking of domain names operated by unknown entities involved in these scams. It also ordered both WhatsApp and Telegram to block such accounts and provide basic subscriber information about these accounts.

“Effective immediately, the order requires Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram to block accounts that infringe Razorpay’s trademarks and engage in fraudulent activities,” the order said.

Banks have been directed to freeze the operations of the accounts used by the fraudsters and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has been asked to deactivate the UPI IDs involved in these financial frauds.

Razorpay had filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court, claiming that unknown persons had misused the company’s name and trademark to lure individuals into fraudulent activities, including financial fraud.

The company had filed a lawsuit against unknown persons who had posed as the company’s recruiters and offered part-time jobs as additional income in return for bail and other false promises.

According to the company, these scams were committed through platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Telegram.

“While the digital landscape offers immense convenience, it has also become a fertile ground for cybercriminals. Fraudsters are increasingly posing as legitimate companies like Razorpay to lure individuals into fraudulent schemes. The Delhi High Court found that there is a prima facie case in Razorpay’s favour,” the company said in a statement.

Razorpay has posted a disclaimer on its website to warn the public about such scams.

“Over the years, we have been committed to implementing robust security measures to protect our customers from financial fraud. This includes proactive steps such as regular infrastructure updates and strict security protocols. This legal order reaffirms our commitment to transparency, accountability and trust in our services as the Razorpay brand,” said Shivli Katyayan, Head of Legal at Razorpay.

This is not the first time that companies have turned to the Supreme Court to prevent the misuse of their brands and names for digital fraud.

In January, Peak XV and Sequoia Capital filed separate lawsuits in Supreme Court against unknown persons (John Doe) who misused the names of the venture capital firms to offer trading and investment advice.

Burger King and Ajio had filed similar cases in the past after scammers misused their names to defraud people of large sums of money.