WhatsApp Closes 6.8 Million Accounts Linked to Fraud

 
WhatsApp Closes 6.8 Million Accounts Linked to Fraud

WhatsApp Adds New Features to Protect Against Fraud

Messenger WhatsApp, owned by Meta, announced the launch of new features to help users detect fraud on the app, stating that it has closed more than 6.8 million accounts linked to criminal scams targeting people around the world. These new features are designed to help detect fraud in group and individual chats on the app.

For group chats, WhatsApp will launch a security overview feature that will appear when someone not on your contacts list adds you to a new group that you may not know. This feature will include key information about the group, as well as tips for staying safe, according to a Meta blog post.

This feature will allow users to see, for example, whether the person they added is one of their contacts, and whether any group members are in their contacts. If you think you might know this group, you can choose to view the conversation to get more context. In both cases, notifications from this group will be muted until you decide whether to remain in it.

Regarding individual conversations, WhatsApp notes that scammers may try to initiate conversations with you elsewhere online before requesting to message you on WhatsApp. To protect against this tactic, the app is testing new ways to alert users before they initiate a conversation with someone who might be trying to scam them. For example, WhatsApp is working to warn users when they initiate a conversation with someone not in their contacts by providing them with additional information about the sender's identity.

Meta noted that it is collaborating with artificial intelligence company OpenAI to disrupt scam attempts traced to a scam hub in Cambodia. Meta said, "These attempts have ranged from offering money in exchange for fake likes, to recruiting others into a bicycle rental pyramid scheme, or enticing people to invest in cryptocurrencies."

She continued: "As OpenAI reported, the scammers used ChatGPT to generate an initial text message containing a link to a WhatsApp conversation, then quickly directed the target to Telegram, where they were tasked with liking TikTok videos. The scammers attempted to build trust in their scheme by sharing how much the target had theoretically "earned," before asking them to deposit money into an encrypted account as a next task."

WhatsApp said that users can protect themselves from scams by taking their time before responding and considering whether the message appears to be a legitimate request. They should then question whether the request is reasonable and whether the person making the request is rushing them to take action.