Meta has significantly ramped up its efforts to combat the growing threat of online fraud by introducing critical anti-scam features across its core platforms: WhatsApp, Messenger, and Facebook. These new tools are designed to proactively protect users, especially vulnerable groups like senior citizens, from sophisticated criminal tactics, helping to prevent devastating financial losses.
Proactive Scam Protection on Messaging Apps
The bulk of the new protection focuses on direct messaging, a common vector for online fraud.
WhatsApp: Screen-Sharing Warnings
A prevalent scam involves criminals pressuring victims, often under the guise of technical or customer support, to share their screen during a video call to “help” them. This allows scammers to capture sensitive data.
The new WhatsApp feature is a direct response to this:
- New Warning Alert: Users will now receive a proactive warning notification if they attempt to share their screen with an unknown contact during a video call.
- Protection against Data Theft: This alert reminds users that sharing their screen can expose highly sensitive information, such as bank details or verification codes, giving them a crucial moment to pause and avoid the scam.
Messenger: AI-Powered Scam Detection
Messenger is introducing a powerful, on-device AI system to flag suspicious communications:
- Advanced Scam Detection: This feature will alert users when a new contact sends a message that shows common signs of a scam, such as unsolicited job offers or financial guarantees.
- Optional AI Review: Users can opt to submit recent chat messages for an AI review. If a potential scam is detected, the platform provides information on common fraud tactics and suggests actions like blocking or reporting the suspicious account. Importantly, for end-to-end encrypted chats, the detection happens on the user’s device to maintain privacy.
Boosting Account Security Across Meta Platforms
Beyond direct messaging, Meta is enhancing foundational account security on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
- Passkeys for Easier, Safer Logins: Users can now set up Passkeys across Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp. This feature allows secure sign-in using the same fingerprint, face recognition, or PIN already used on their mobile device, making accounts less susceptible to password-based attacks.
- Security & Privacy Checkups: The Security Checkup on Facebook and Instagram provides personalized steps for users to strengthen their settings, while the Privacy Checkup on WhatsApp guides users through key privacy controls, such as deciding who can add them to groups.
Meta’s Commitment to Disrupting Global Scams
These feature launches are supported by extensive back-end action against organized cybercrime. Meta’s threat intelligence teams have been actively identifying and disrupting criminal scam centers operating globally.
- Massive Account Disruption: Since the start of the year, Meta has detected and disrupted close to 8 million accounts on Facebook and Instagram linked to criminal scam centers.
- Targeting Impersonation: The company also took action against over 21,000 Facebook Pages and accounts that were impersonating legitimate customer support services to trick people into sharing personal information.
As scammers continually evolve their tactics, these new features serve as essential, proactive defenses. Users are always encouraged to follow best practices: Pause, Question, and Verify any unsolicited messages, especially those asking for money or sensitive information.
Protect yourself today by enabling Two-Factor Authentication and checking your privacy settings across all Meta apps.
