WhatsApp deletes over 6.8m accounts linked to scams, Meta says

WhatsApp, the messaging app owned by Meta, has taken down more than 6. 8 million accounts in the first half of this year because they were linked to scams. Many of these accounts were connected to organized crime groups in South East Asia, where scam centres often use forced labor to run their operations. Meta announced these actions as WhatsApp introduced new features to help users spot scams, such as warnings when someone adds you to a group chat and they are not in your contacts. This is part of a larger effort to fight a growing problem where criminals hijack WhatsApp accounts or add people to group chats that promote fake investment opportunities and other scams. Meta said that WhatsApp is working to find and remove scam accounts before they can be used to trick people. In one example, WhatsApp worked with Meta and OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, to stop a scam run by a criminal group in Cambodia. This group was using social media to promote a fake scooter rental business, and they used ChatGPT to write instructions for their victims. The scammers would usually start by sending a text message to someone, then move the conversation to WhatsApp or another private messaging app. The scams often ended with the victim being asked to pay money up front, with the promise of getting more money back later. Meta warned that if someone asks you to pay up front to get a reward, it is probably a scam. Consumer groups in the UK, like Which? , welcomed Meta's efforts but said the company needs to do more to stop scams on all its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert, said that people are being flooded with fake ads for investments, products, and jobs. She believes Meta should prevent these scams from appearing in the first place. She also called on the government to enforce the Online Safety Act and create strong rules for paid ads, so tech companies are responsible for what appears on their sites. Scam centres in countries like Cambodia and Thailand are a major problem, stealing billions of dollars from people around the world. These centres sometimes force people to work for them, making the problem even worse. Authorities in the region are warning people to be careful and use security features like WhatsApp's two-step verification to protect their accounts. In Singapore, police have told people to be cautious about strange requests they receive on messaging apps. WhatsApp is trying to help by sending warnings and making it harder for scammers to trick users. But experts say that everyone needs to be careful online. If you get a message from someone you do not know, or if someone asks you for money, you should always double-check before responding. Meta and WhatsApp are working to stop scams, but it is important for users to stay alert and protect themselves from online fraud. The fight against scams is ongoing, and both tech companies and users have a role to play in keeping the internet safe.