WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts To Fight Fake Job And Investment Offers

WhatsApp has removed over 6.8 million scam accounts as part of a major effort to crack down on fraud. The accounts were mostly linked to criminal scam networks in South East Asia. These scams often involve fake job offers, investment opportunities, and giveaways aimed at stealing personal and financial information.

Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, announced this move along with new features to help users identify and avoid scams. One of the new tools will alert users when they are added to a WhatsApp group by someone who is not in their contacts. The feature will show details about the group and provide safety tips, allowing users to exit the group easily if it looks suspicious.

Meta is also testing new features that may warn users before they respond to unknown contacts in one-on-one chats. 

"We're sharing insights on how criminal scammers target people on many apps at once to evade detection by each service, including a scam campaign we disrupted that attempted to use our apps, mobile SMS, ChatGPT, TikTok, Telegram and cryptocurrency," Meta informed in a blog post. 

Fraud on WhatsApp has become more advanced. One common trick involves fake recruiters offering high-paying jobs. These scammers may ask for money for training or try to steal banking details. Another common scam involves fake giveaways that lead users to harmful websites.

Meta has advised users to "pause, question, and verify" before responding to suspicious messages, especially from unknown numbers promising quick money. 

Users should pause and consider whether the number is familiar or if the message seems legitimate. 

Question if the request makes sense-does it sound too good to be true, involve money, or pressure to act quickly? These are common scam tactics. 

Verify the sender's identity by contacting them through another trusted method, such as calling a known number. 

Meta emphasizes staying cautious and vigilant to avoid falling victim to scams on its messaging platforms.