In a significant move to combat the growing threat of online fraud, Meta has taken decisive action against scam activity on WhatsApp. As part of its broader effort to enhance platform safety, the tech company has removed millions of suspicious accounts and introduced new features designed to protect users from deception.
Meta and OpenAI dismantle global scam network tied to WhatsApp accounts
Meta has revealed that its free messaging app WhatsApp has taken down 6.8 million accounts connected to organized scam networks—many of them operating out of Cambodia—as part of a joint crackdown with OpenAI. These scam centers, often tied to forced labor and organized crime across Southeast Asia, run a variety of fraudulent schemes that typically begin with unsolicited messages or dating app conversations and later shift across platforms to avoid detection.
“Some of the most prolific sources of scams are criminal scam centers, often fueled by forced labor and operated by organized crime primarily in Southeast Asia. In the first six months of this year, as part of our ongoing proactive work to protect people from scams, WhatsApp detected and banned over 6.8 million accounts linked to scam centers,” reads the announcement published by Meta. “Based on our investigative insights into the latest enforcement efforts, we proactively detected and took down accounts before scam centers were able to operationalize them.”
In a recent takedown, WhatsApp, Meta, and OpenAI disrupted operations tied to a Cambodian criminal group responsible for a variety of online scams. These included bogus paid-like jobs, fraudulent scooter rentals, and deceptive cryptocurrency schemes. Scammers reportedly used ChatGPT to craft initial outreach messages via WhatsApp, before migrating victims to Telegram, where they were assigned seemingly harmless tasks like liking TikTok videos. To gain victims’ trust, they would display fake earnings dashboards before eventually requesting cryptocurrency deposits.
WhatsApp enhances user protection in latest security update
WhatsApp is introducing a suite of new anti-scam tools to better protect its users. For group chats, a new safety overview will now appear when you’re added to a group with people you don’t know. This feature allows you to review the group’s details before joining, and notifications will remain silenced by default until you decide to turn them on. The platform is also testing new warnings for one-on-one chats with people not in your contacts. These warnings provide extra context, encouraging users to take a moment and think before engaging. These proactive measures are designed to combat common scam tactics and enhance user safety across the app.
Tips to outsmart scammers on WhatsApp
While Meta and WhatsApp are stepping up their efforts to combat fraud with major account takedowns and new safety features, the first and most critical line of defense remains the user. Staying vigilant and informed is key to protecting yourself from sophisticated scam tactics.
To help users steer clear of scams in private chats, WhatsApp experts advise a simple but effective approach: pause, question, and verify. Suspicious messages, especially those from unknown numbers offering fast money or warning of urgent issues like unpaid bills, should be treated with caution. Scammers often rely on fear or misplaced trust to pressure people into sending money or revealing personal information. Before responding, take a moment to evaluate the message, watch for red flags like unusually high pay for minimal effort or urgent demands, and always confirm the sender’s identity through a trusted channel.
Here are a few additional tips to help you stay safe on the platform:
- Adjust Your Privacy Settings: Go into your WhatsApp privacy settings and change who can add you to groups. By limiting this to “My Contacts,” you can prevent scammers from adding you to malicious group chats without your permission.
- Never Share Your Verification Code: Your six-digit WhatsApp verification code is the key to your account. Never share it with anyone, even if they claim to be from WhatsApp support, a friend, or a family member. Sharing this code can give a scammer full access to your account.
- Block and Report Suspicious Accounts: If you receive a message from an unknown number that you believe is a scam, do not hesitate to use the Block & Report feature. This not only protects you from further contact but also helps WhatsApp identify and remove malicious accounts from the platform.
- Enable Two-Step Verification: Add an extra layer of security to your account by turning on two-step verification. This feature requires a six-digit PIN to access your account, making it much harder for scammers to hijack your number or impersonate you.
- Stay informed about the latest scam trends. Just like the recently uncovered schemes involving fake crypto jobs and AI-generated messages, new fraud tactics emerge regularly. Keeping up to date can help you spot a scam before it catches you off guard.
Source: Security Affairs