Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has removed 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts in the first half of the year that were linked to global criminal scam centers. These scam networks, often involving forced labor and organized crime, are responsible for sending fraudulent messages across multiple platforms to deceive users.
As part of its crackdown, Meta is rolling out new anti-scam tools on WhatsApp. This is a safety overview alert for when a user not in the contacts list joins a group. Pause alerts are also being tested to make users think twice before responding to suspicious messages.
Meta says these scams are becoming more sophisticated. They often start on one platform, like text or dating apps and move across others, including WhatsApp, TikTok, Telegram, and even AI tools like ChatGPT.
One major scam network disrupted by Meta and OpenAI was based in Cambodia, using tactics like fake offers of money for likes, pyramid schemes and crypto investment scams.
What This Means for Users
As scams are evolving, so are the tech companies.
Increased protection will come with this major move. WhatsApp is actively removing scam-related accounts, making the platform safer.
New warning features will show alerts when a user is added to group chats by unknown people. More so, it will prompt them to pause before replying to suspicious messages to avoid scams.
Criminal networks are behind the scams, they aren’t just random. Many are run by organized groups using people under duress, making them widespread and persistent.
Users also have a part to play in this security by stopping and reporting anything that feels off. Even if it seems to come from a trusted app, it might be part of a larger scam operation. Things to look out for include unsolicited money offers, investment pitches, or requests for personal information.
