Meta announced the suspension of nearly seven million WhatsApp accounts linked to scammers in the first half of the year, as part of intensified efforts to combat fraudulent activities on the platform.
The crackdown announced on Tuesday, targets organized criminal networks perpetrating scams ranging from fake cryptocurrency investments to get-rich-quick pyramid schemes.
“Our team identified and disabled these accounts before the criminal organizations behind them could fully exploit them,” said Clair Deevy, WhatsApp’s External Affairs Director, during a briefing.
Meta reported that over 6.8 million of these accounts were tied to scam operations, primarily based in Southeast Asia.
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is enhancing user protections by providing alerts about unrecognised groups or individuals initiating suspicious exchanges.
“There’s always a catch—scammers often demand upfront payments for promised returns, which should be a red flag for everyone,” Meta stated in a blog post.
In collaboration with OpenAI, Meta disrupted a Cambodia-based scam that utilized ChatGPT to generate deceptive text messages containing links to fraudulent WhatsApp chats designed to lure victims.
These scams often exploit users’ trust, promising high returns on investments or quick earnings, only to demand additional payments after showing fabricated “earnings.”
Meta’s actions reflect a broader push to curb digital fraud, which has siphoned billions from victims globally.
The company is leveraging technical signals to proactively identify and ban fraudulent accounts before they can execute their schemes.
Users are urged to exercise caution, particularly when added to unfamiliar chat groups or contacted by unknown individuals.
This initiative hughlights Meta’s commitment to safeguarding WhatsApp’s global user base while tackling the evolving tactics of scammers operating across multiple platforms.
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