WhatsApp will introduce a new anti-fraud function

WhatsApp developers have announced a series of new features aimed at increasing security levels and protecting users from scammers. This was stated in Meta's blog.

Among the key changes is the ability to preview information about group chats to which a user has been invited by an unknown contact. Before joining such a chat, users will be able to see who created it, when it happened, how many participants are in the chat, and whether any of the user's saved contacts are among them. Notifications from such chats will be disabled by default until the user participates in the conversation.

Additionally, WhatsApp will begin warning users about potentially fraudulent activities, offering advice on safe behavior in the messenger. The platform also draws attention to a new tactic used by scammers - moving communication outside the app and then shifting the conversation to private messages. In connection with this, the company is testing tools that will slow down a user's response to messages from strangers - in particular, by displaying additional information about the sender.

As part of the fight against fraud, WhatsApp also reported on a joint operation with Meta and OpenAI, which resulted in the identification and neutralization of a fraudulent network in Cambodia. The scammers used the messenger to organize Ponzi schemes and other financial scams. As a result of the investigation, more than 6.8 million suspicious accounts in Southeast Asian countries were blocked.