WhatsApp is introducing new features to help users spot scams on the messaging platform, the company announced on Tuesday. At the same time, the company said it has disabled more than 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts associated with criminal scam centers targeting people worldwide.
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The new features are designed to detect suspicious activity in both group and individual conversations on Meta.
For group chats, WhatsApp is introducing a new “safety overview” feature, which appears when someone who is not in your contacts adds you to a new group that you may not recognize. The safety overview will include basic information about the group, as well as tips to protect yourself.
For example, you will be able to see if the person who added you is already a contact of yours, as well as if any of the group members are in your contacts.
If you think you might recognize the group, you can choose to view the conversation for more details. In either case, notifications from the conversation will remain muted until you confirm that you want to remain in the group.
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When it comes to one-on-one conversations, WhatsApp notes that scammers may try to initiate contact with you on other platforms before asking you to continue the conversation on private messaging apps like WhatsApp. To protect users from this tactic, the app is testing new ways to warn before someone starts a conversation with an unknown person who may be a scammer.
For example, the app is working on features that notify users when they start a conversation with someone who is not in their contacts, providing additional information about the person they are chatting with.
WhatsApp also revealed that it partnered with OpenAI to disrupt fraud operations detected at a fraud center in Cambodia.
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The company emphasizes that users can protect themselves from such scams by taking the time to think before responding — for example, assessing whether the message seems like a legitimate request. Then, asking themselves if what is being asked makes sense and whether they are trying to pressure them into taking immediate action. If someone claims to be a friend or family member, it is recommended to use another form of communication to verify their identity.
Source: techcrunch
