WhatsApp takes down 6.8 million accounts linked to criminal scam centers, Meta says
NEW YORK: WhatsApp has taken down 6.8 million accounts that were "linked to criminal scam centres' targeting people online around that world, its parent company Meta said this week.
The account deletions, which Meta said took place over the first six months of the year, arrive as part of wider company efforts to crack down on scams.
In a Tuesday (Aug 5) announcement, Meta said it was also rolling new tools on WhatsApp to help people spot scams – including a new safety overview that the platform will show when someone who is not in a user's contacts adds them to a group, as well as ongoing test alerts to pause before responding.
Scams are becoming all too common and increasingly sophisticated in today's digital world – with too-good-to-be-true offers and unsolicited messages attempting to steal consumers' information or money filling our phones, social media and other corners of the internet each day.
Meta noted that "some of the most prolific' sources of scams are criminal scam centres, which often span from forced labour operated by organised crime – and warned that such efforts often target people on many platforms at once, in attempts to evade detection.
That means that a scam campaign may start with messages over text or a dating app, for example, and then move to social media and payment platforms, the California-based company said.
Meta, which also owns Facebook and Instagram, pointed to recent scam efforts that it said attempted to use its own apps – as well as TikTok, Telegram and AI-generated messages made using ChatGPT – to offer payments for fake likes, enlist people into a pyramid scheme and/or lure others into cryptocurrency investments. Meta linked these scams to a criminal scam centre in Cambodia – and said it disrupted the campaign in partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI. – AP
.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
18 minutes ago
- The Sun
HDFX Powers the Launch of Singapore's First EV Truck Battery Swop Station
SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 7 August 2025 – Events and experiential marketing agency HDFX Pte Ltd is proud to announce its role as the official event organiser for the recent launch of EcoSwift's Battery Charge and Swop Station (BCSS), Singapore's first public charging and battery-swop station for electric heavy commercial vehicles, located in Tuas. Unveiled on 1st of August 2025, this milestone launch represents a significant step in Singapore's push towards green logistics and sustainable transportation. Tasked with bringing the event to life, HDFX delivered a seamless experience that reflected the innovation and ambition behind EcoSwift's breakthrough. To showcase the innovation and functionality of the station, HDFX designed and built a 3D, to-scale replica of the Battery Charge and Swop Station, which served not only as an educational centrepiece but also as the official launch mechanic, lighting up in sync with the unveiling moment. This dramatic visual display symbolised the activation of Singapore's first public charge-and-swop infrastructure. A giant LED screen was also installed to amplify the experience, highlight main features and communicated key messages to attending guests and media. On the ground, HDFX oversaw the complete logistical setup, including tentage, cooling systems, AV equipment, staging, and guest flow management. The agency also supervised the live demonstration of EcoSwift's swop technology in action, a key moment of the launch that captured both the media's and attendees' attention. 'We partnered with HDFX for the launch of our Battery Swop Station, and we couldn't be more pleased with the results,' said Ryan Woon, CEO of EcoSwift Pte Ltd. 'From concept to execution, the HDFX team delivered with creativity, professionalism, and attention to detail. The event made a strong impression and truly reflected the future-forward ethos of our brand.' 'This project was an exciting challenge and a meaningful milestone for our team,' shared Chua Wen Fang, Events Executive at HDFX, who led the project. 'I'm incredibly proud of how everyone came together, from design to logistics, to execute every detail, from the 3D model to the live demo, with precision and purpose. It's not every day my team and I get to be part of something so forward-thinking and vital for Singapore's sustainability journey.' Founded in 2004, HDFX is a Singapore-based boutique events and experiential marketing agency known for delivering high-definition, marketing-driven campaigns across Asia, including the high-brow reopening of West Mall in June 2025. With over 2,000 events completed and more than 150 brand partnerships, HDFX blends creativity, precision, and strategic insights to bring creative ideas to life, from immersive brand activations to large-scale infrastructure launches. 'EcoSwift's vision for a cleaner, more efficient transport future deeply resonated with us,' said Miki Hay, Founder and Managing Director of HDFX. 'At HDFX, we believe in partnering with brands that are bold and purpose-driven, and we're proud to have helped bring their values to life at their launch event.'
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Less punitive than feared, says expert on impact of US' planned tariff on Malaysia's semiconductor exports
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's risk exposure to the United States' proposed 100 per cent tariff on semiconductors may be lower than feared, said CGS International head of research Jeremy Goh. Goh said the bulk of the country's chip exports come from US-based companies, which could be exempted from the measure. "Roughly two-thirds of Malaysia's semiconductors come from US-based companies. "There's quite a high chance that these US-based companies will of course commit to expand in American soil to avert these semiconductor tariffs. "It's still a very developing situation, but I don't think it's as scary and as punitive as that 100 per cent tariff deadline sounds," he said during the Economic & Market Outlook panel session at the Invest Shariah Conference 2025. While the proposed tariff has raised concerns, Goh believes the actual impact could be less severe than the headline number suggests, especially given the exemption criteria outlined by US President Donald Trump. Trump planned to impose a tariff of 100 per cent on semiconductor chips imported from countries not producing in the US or planning to do so. He said the new tariff rate would apply to all chips and semiconductors coming into the US but would not apply to companies that had made a commitment to manufacture in the US or were in the process of doing so. "From Trump's statements, he did say that if the semiconductors are coming from US or US-based companies… "These companies have committed to expand in US soil, or are already in the midst of expanding in, thus they would be exempted," he said. Goh added that Malaysia's direct market exposure to the US is minimal, despite the country being a major export destination. "Thirty per cent of our exports goes to US, our second-largest export destination, but at the stock market level, that exposure is much lower. "We found that in terms of our coverage universe, only 2.4 per cent of the aggregate revenue is derived from US "As for the FBM KLCI, the 30-key stock index, only about 0.5 per cent of its revenue comes from the US. "So the direct US exposure of our local stock market is relatively much more muted compared to the overall economy. That's the second so-called saving risk that we have," he said. With ongoing efforts by the Malaysian government to seek clarification from the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Goh believes the outlook remains manageable. Meanwhile, CGS International chief economist Nazmi Idrus said the tariff, if implemented, could spell trouble for Malaysia's export-reliant economy. "Half of our products are actually being sold in the US and there will be more impact on the Malaysian economy because we are quite reliant on US products," he said. He warned that the move could further fracture the global trade landscape, accelerating shifts in supply chains and trade flows. "You're likely to see some changes in the global supply chain going forward. It's probably going to benefit the US more than other countries," he said. According to Nazmi, the US currently enjoys tariff advantages in many overseas markets due to relatively lower import duties. This could push more countries to favour American goods at the expense of regional trading partners. "So what happened now is that because we are still lower our tariff levels in the US, US products have more advantage in other countries. "So probably a lot of countries will start to import a lot more of US products and a lot less on their national trading partners," he added. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said Malaysia had sought clarification from the US over thecproposed 100 per cent tariff on imported semiconductor chips. He cautioned that such move could adversely affect one of the country's most critical export sectors. He said the government had contacted both the US Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce this morning to obtain an official statement on the matter.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Exclusive-Ripple to buy stablecoin platform Rail for $200 million
FILE PHOTO: The logo of blockchain company Ripple is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo (Reuters) -Ripple will buy stablecoin payments platform Rail for $200 million, the company said on Thursday, weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a law that raised expectations cryptocurrency tokens are about to enter the mainstream. Ripple, a crypto company that issues the token XRP as well as its own stablecoin called RLUSD, has invested heavily in stablecoin infrastructure in recent months. The acquisition - which will close in the fourth quarter of this year pending regulatory approvals - will enable Ripple and Rail to "deliver the most comprehensive stablecoin payments solution available in the market," it said. "As regulations become more clear and the space has grown and matured, this opportunity for stablecoin payments is really ripe, and the acquisition of Rail just really solidifies our market leadership in stablecoin payments," said Monica Long, president of Ripple in an interview. Toronto-based Rail, backed by Galaxy Ventures and Accomplice, uses stablecoins to deploy cross-border payments. It says its transactions are cheaper and can clear in just hours, compared to longer settlement times for fiat payments. Rail says on its website that the company is responsible for 10% of all global stablecoin-based payment activity. Trump in July signed a bill into law to create a federal regulatory regime for stablecoins, which analysts said could allow digital assets to become an everyday way to make payments and move money. Stablecoins are designed to maintain a constant value, usually a 1:1 U.S. dollar peg, and their use has exploded, notably by crypto traders moving funds between tokens. Ripple said in April that it would also buy multi-asset prime broker Hidden Road in a $1.25 billion deal, one of its largest acquisitions yet, which it said would enhance RLUSD's utility. Ripple launched RLUSD, a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, last year, as it sought to disrupt the market dominated by Tether and Circle's USDC. (Reporting by Hannah Lang in New York; editing by Barbara Lewis)
