WhatsApp blocks 6.8M scam accounts and rolls out new safety features

In the first half of 2025, WhatsApp removed more than 6.8 million accounts linked to scam networks.

According to Meta, most of these operations were based in Southeast Asia, running schemes from fake crypto investments to “get rich in a week” pyramids. Some were tied to organized crime groups — and in one case, Meta and OpenAI jointly shut down a Cambodia-based campaign that used ChatGPT to generate bait messages for luring victims into WhatsApp chats. The messenger is now introducing new tools to help users spot scams in time.

Group messaging

• If you’re added to a group by someone not in your contacts, you’ll see a safety screen with the chat name, the inviter’s name, and a reminder that they’re a stranger.
• Notifications from such groups will be muted by default, and you can leave without opening any messages.
• If the group looks familiar, you can open it for context — but until you reply or save the contact, other participants won’t know you’ve read anything.

Individual chats

WhatsApp is testing warnings when you receive a message from someone not in your contacts. The app will display extra information about the sender so you can decide whether to engage.

The company is also promoting its “Pause, Question, Verify” approach:

• Pause — stop and consider if you actually know this number.
• Question — ask yourself if the offer is too good to be true, or if they’re asking for money or codes.
• Verify — confirm the sender’s identity via another communication channel.