Meta is taking aggressive steps to counter a growing wave of scams targeting WhatsApp users. The company announced that it has banned over 6.8 million accounts in the first half of the year, with many of these linked to large-scale scam operations based in Southeast Asia.
Scammers misuse WhatsApp group invites to target users
One of the major tactics used by cybercriminals involves exploiting WhatsApp’s group invitation feature. By default, WhatsApp allows anyone with a phone number to add users to group chats. This capability has been widely abused by scammers promoting fake crypto investments, pyramid schemes, and other fraud campaigns.
“WhatsApp has always allowed anyone with your phone number to message you or add you to a group. Just like how anyone can send you an SMS or email if they have your contact information,” Meta explained in its support documentation.
In most cases, the only detail scammers need is a phone number—often acquired from data leaks or bought via dark web marketplaces. Once added to these groups, users are often presented with fraudulent offers designed to lure them into scams.
New WhatsApp safety measures introduced for group invites
To address this vulnerability, Meta is introducing new features that give users more control and visibility when added to unfamiliar groups.
“We’re launching a new safety overview that we’ll show you when someone who’s not in your contacts adds you to a new WhatsApp group you may not recognize,” Meta said. “It will include key information about the group and tips to stay safe.”
The alert will let users either view the group or exit immediately—without opening the chat. Notifications will remain silenced until the user chooses to stay.
Improved messaging context aims to stop direct scam attempts
Beyond group invites, scammers are also contacting users individually. To counter this, WhatsApp is testing features that provide extra context when a user receives a message from an unknown number.
“We’re exploring ways to caution you when you start a chat with someone not in your contacts by showing you additional context about who you’re messaging so you can make an informed decision,” Meta added.
These added layers of awareness aim to prevent users from engaging with suspicious accounts before harm is done.
Scam networks are using AI tools and cross-platform tactics
Meta also revealed that some scam centers are using ChatGPT to draft messages, which are then sent via WhatsApp and escalated to Telegram. One operation traced to Cambodia used fake TikTok tasks to lure victims before demanding crypto deposits.
“These attempts ranged from offering payments for fake likes to enlisting others into a rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme, or luring people to invest in cryptocurrency,” Meta said.
WhatsApp worked jointly with OpenAI to disrupt this campaign.
How users can reduce their risk
While Meta’s measures will reduce exposure, WhatsApp users are also urged to manually change group invite settings. To do this:
- Go to Settings
- Tap Privacy
- Select Groups
- Choose My Contacts or a more restrictive option
This can help prevent unsolicited additions to unknown groups.
WhatsApp remains one of the most widely used platforms globally, with nearly three billion monthly active users. The challenge of combating organized, AI-powered scam operations continues to grow in scale.
