WhatsApp adds new security feature to protect against scams

WhatsApp is introducing a new security feature that will help users spot potential scams when they are being added to a group chat by someone not in their contact list.

This feature displays a “safety overview” context card that includes information about the group’s creation date, the number of members, potential scam attempts, and instructions on how to control who can add you to WhatsApp groups.

“It will include key information about the group and tips to stay safe. From there, you can exit the group without ever having to look at the chat,” the company said.

“And if you think you might recognize the group after seeing the safety overview, you can choose to see the chat for more context. Regardless, notifications from the group will be silenced until you mark that you want to stay.”

To defend users against scammers trying to reach out directly, WhatsApp also notifies them when contacted by someone outside their contacts, offering additional context about the person they’re messaging.

“We encourage you to pause, question, and verify, before responding to a suspicious or unusual message, especially if it’s from a number you don’t know promising fast money,” the company added.

WhatsApp also revealed on Tuesday that it has disabled over 6.8 million accounts in the first six months of this year, linked to scam centers targeting its users.

Earlier this year, the company also collaborated with OpenAI to dismantle a criminal scam center in Cambodia that operated scams ranging from luring targets to invest in cryptocurrency and offering payments for fake likes to enlisting victims in a rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme.

In one case, the scammers generated an initial text message using ChatGPT, which contained a link to a WhatsApp chat that redirected the target to Telegram, where the task was to like videos on TikTok.

“These scam centers typically run many scam campaigns at once – from cryptocurrency investments to pyramid schemes,” the company said.

“Scams may start with a text message or on a dating app, then move to social media, private messaging apps and ultimately payment or crypto platforms.”

In April, WhatsApp also introduced a new Advanced Chat Privacy feature designed to protect sensitive information exchanged in private chats and group conversations.