Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, announced on Tuesday that it disabled nearly seven million WhatsApp accounts linked to scam operations in the first half of 2025, as part of its intensified global campaign to combat online fraud.
According to Meta, the accounts, many operated by organized criminal groups, were identified and shut down before scammers could exploit them. The fraudulent schemes ranged from bogus cryptocurrency investments to classic pyramid-style “get-rich-quick” offers, company executives said in a briefing.
“Our team identified the accounts and disabled them before the criminal organizations that created them could use them,” said Clair Deevy, WhatsApp’s director of external affairs.
WhatsApp’s systems detected and banned more than 6.8 million accounts, the majority of which were traced to scam centers in Southeast Asia, Meta confirmed. The company has recently stepped up its use of artificial intelligence and advanced detection tools to block suspicious accounts at scale.
In one case, Meta and WhatsApp worked with OpenAI to disrupt a scheme based in Cambodia where scammers used ChatGPT to craft convincing text messages. These messages contained links luring recipients into WhatsApp chats designed to defraud them.
Alongside the crackdown, Meta is rolling out new in-app tools to help users identify and avoid scams. Beginning Tuesday, WhatsApp will alert users whenever they are added to a group chat by someone they do not know.
The new “safety overview” feature will:
- Show information about the group or unknown contact,
- Provide tips on how to spot fraudulent behavior, and
- Offer a one-tap option to leave suspicious group chats immediately.
“We’ve all been there: someone you don’t know trying to message you, add you to a group chat, promising low-risk investment opportunities or easy money, or claiming you have an overdue bill,” Meta said in a blog post. “The reality is, these are often scammers preying on people’s kindness, trust, or fear of getting into trouble if they don’t act fast.”
Meta emphasized that any scheme requiring upfront payment for promised returns should raise immediate suspicion. “There is always a catch and it should be a red flag for everyone,” WhatsApp said.
The company is urging users to:
- Be cautious of unsolicited messages or group invitations,
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links,
- Report unknown contacts or groups directly through the app.
The announcement highlights Meta’s growing focus on curbing fraud across its platforms. By collaborating with AI companies like OpenAI, Meta is experimenting with real-time detection of messages generated by automated tools, which scammers increasingly use to scale their operations.
With WhatsApp serving over 2 billion users worldwide, the platform remains a major target for organized fraud networks, particularly in regions where digital financial literacy is low and mobile messaging apps are widely used for business and personal communication.
Written By Rodney Mbua
