WhatsApp launches ‘Safety Overview' tool, bans 6.8 million criminal scam centre-linked accounts in 2025

Indian Express

15 hours ago

At a time when digital scams are on the rise, WhatsApp has launched a new safety tool designed to help users avoid being roped into suspicious or unfamiliar groups. The feature called 'Safety Overview,' will now appear when a person not in your contacts list adds you to a group – a tactic often used by scamsters.
The feature, rolling out in India this week, aims to make group invitations less intrusive and more transparent. When you are added to a group by someone you don't know, this feature will show you key information about the group – who created it, number of participants in the group, and general safety tips – before you even see a message. You can either choose to exit the group or, if it feels familiar, view the chats. Until you decide, notification will remain muted.
The move is a part of WhatsApp's ongoing push to protect users from fraud.
WhatsApp and Meta's security teams are actively working to take down large-scale criminal scam centres, many of which operate out of Southeast Asia. These operations are often run by organised crime and fueled by forced labour. In the first half of this year alone, WhatsApp and Meta's security teams detected and banned over 6.8 million accounts linked to these scam centres, often taking them down before they could become fully operational.
Recently, OpenAI, Meta, and WhatsApp worked together to stop a scam in Cambodia. This particular scam used ChatGPT to create initial messages that directed people to a WhatsApp chat, which then moved to Telegram. Before requesting money to be sent into a cryptocurrency account, the scammers would first establish trust by offering fictitious jobs, such as getting paid to 'like' videos.
While new features and enforcement efforts enhance security, users must remain vigilant to protect themselves from scams. It is crucial to always pause and consider the risks before responding to suspicious messages, particularly those from unknown numbers that promise quick financial gains.
To further bolster safety on WhatsApp, users should utilise the platform's built-in features. This includes performing a privacy checkup to customise who can contact them and see their online status, as well as enabling two-step verification to prevent account takeovers. If a suspicious message is received, the block and report feature should be used immediately. Additionally, turning on the 'Silence Unknown Callers' feature can help prevent call-based scams, and it is essential to ensure you are always using the official WhatsApp application to avoid malicious, fake versions.