Meta announced Tuesday that it has shut down nearly 7 million WhatsApp accounts linked to scams in the first half of 2025, intensifying its efforts to protect users from fraud on the popular messaging platform.
The tech giant revealed that 6.8 million accounts — many tied to criminal networks operating out of Southeast Asia — were proactively identified and disabled before they could be used for illicit activity.
“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.
The scams included a range of schemes — from fake cryptocurrency investments to get-rich-quick pyramid operations, according to Meta executives, news agencies reports.
In one significant case, Meta collaborated with OpenAI to dismantle a Cambodia-based ring that used ChatGPT to generate scam messages and lure users into fraudulent investment groups through WhatsApp links.
Meta also warned users about classic red flags, such as messages promising high returns in exchange for upfront payments, or fake alerts about unpaid bills.
In response to the evolving threats, WhatsApp has introduced a suite of new safety tools, including:
- Alerts when users are added to unknown group chats
- A new “Safety Overview” section that helps users review group details, detect scams, and exit suspicious conversations quickly
“We’ve all been there: someone you don’t know messaging you or adding you to a group, offering easy money or claiming you owe a bill,” Meta said in a blog post.
Meta says it is committed to staying ahead of scammers by continuously improving detection tools and educating users on fraud prevention.
