WhatsApp and Messenger add new warnings to help older people avoid online scams

Summary

Meta on Tuesday introduced new scam detection features for its messaging apps, WhatsApp and Messenger, as part of its broader initiative to crack down on online scams that target older people. The company said it will begin to show warnings in WhatsApp when users try to share their screen during calls, and it will flag possible scam messages in Messenger, which can be sent to AI for review. The tech giant said it’s detected and disrupted about 8 million accounts engaging in scam operations during the first half of 2025, including those associated with scam centers in areas like Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines. It also took action on over 21,000 Facebook Pages and accounts that were pretending to be customer support operations that were attempting to trick people into sharing their information. The latter is so prevalent on the platform that many Page operators essentially know to ignore anything that claims to be a customer support message. Meanwhile, scam syndicates target older adults across a number of industries, including not only social media, but also messaging apps, dating apps, crypto, and others. Image Credits:Meta On WhatsApp, the company will now display a warning when you try to share your screen with an unknown contact during a video call. This technique is often used to trick victims into giving away sensitive information like bank details and verification codes, Meta says. Meanwhile, on Messenger, the company is testing more advanced scam detection techniques to analyze whether an inbound message is suspicious. If so, it flags that signs of a scam have been detected and warns you to “be cautious, you could be at risk of losing money.” Image Credits:Meta The screen also lists a variety of common scam techniques, like those involving work-from-home jobs or offers to make easy cash, and will suggest either blocking or reporting the suspicious account. My own family member has been a victim of these types of scams, ...