WhatsApp’s New Features Are a Game Changer for Fighting Scams
WhatsApp is rolling out new security features to help people avoid scams on the messaging service, the company announced on Tuesday. The company has also taken down over 6.8 million accounts linked to criminal scam centers targeting people around the world. These new features are designed to detect scams in both group and individual chats on the Meta-owned platform. This proactive approach underscores the company’s commitment to user safety and aims to create a more secure environment for its two billion-plus users.
For group chats, WhatsApp is launching a new safety overview feature that will be displayed when someone who isn’t in your contact list adds you to a new group that you may not recognize. This overview will provide key information about the group, such as whether the person who added you is a contact and if any other members are. Notifications from the chat will be muted until you mark that you want to remain in the group, giving you a crucial window to assess the situation before engaging. This provides a much-needed layer of protection against being unwittingly drawn into fraudulent schemes.
As for individual chats, the app is testing new ways to alert people before they start talking to someone who could be trying to scam them. Scammers often start conversations on other platforms before directing people to private messaging services like WhatsApp. The new features will provide users with additional context about who they are messaging, especially when the person is not in their contacts. This early warning system is a significant step in helping users identify and avoid potential threats before a conversation even begins, helping to shut down a common scam tactic.
WhatsApp also highlighted its collaboration with OpenAI to disrupt scam efforts from a scam center in Cambodia. The scammers used ChatGPT to generate initial text messages and then lured targets to other platforms like Telegram. The schemes ranged from offering payments for fake likes to cryptocurrency investment scams. This partnership demonstrates a powerful alliance between tech companies to combat online fraud. To protect yourself, WhatsApp advises users to take their time before responding, question if the request makes sense, and always verify the identity of a friend or family member making an unusual request using a different method of communication.