Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has announced that it has removed 6.8 million accounts linked to criminal scam centers in the first half of 2025. These accounts were involved in targeting individuals worldwide through online scams. The operations were often run from Southeast Asia and are linked to forced labor and organized crime.
These scam centers employ increasingly sophisticated methods to deceive users, often operating across multiple platforms to evade detection. Scammers may initiate contact via text messages or dating apps before moving conversations to social media and payment platforms. Meta has observed instances where scammers used AI tools like ChatGPT to craft convincing introductory messages. These messages would then lead victims to WhatsApp chats, and eventually to other platforms like Telegram, where they would be enticed with fake payouts for completing simple tasks, such as liking TikTok videos. As trust is gained, the scams escalate, often pressuring victims into investing in cryptocurrency with promises of high returns.
In response to the rising threat of scams, WhatsApp is introducing new tools to help users identify and avoid fraudulent activity. One feature is a safety overview that appears when a user is added to a group by someone not in their contacts, providing group information and guidance. WhatsApp is also testing alerts to encourage users to pause before responding to suspicious messages.
Meta's security teams are collaborating with partners, including OpenAI, to combat these cross-platform scam campaigns. One such collaboration led to the dismantling of a Cambodian criminal organization that promoted a fake rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme. The scammers used ChatGPT to create instructions for potential victims, highlighting the evolving sophistication of these operations.
Meta emphasizes that scams often involve a catch, such as requiring upfront payments for promised returns or earnings, which should serve as a red flag. The company is investing in both enforcement and user education to counteract these threats. Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert, suggests Meta should focus on preventing scams from appearing on its platforms in the first place.
While WhatsApp's efforts to remove millions of scam accounts are a step in the right direction, experts say more action is needed to protect users from increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals.
