Meta announced the launch of new tools aimed at protecting Messenger and WhatsApp users from potential scams. This effort includes warnings in WhatsApp that will be activated when a user attempts to share their screen with an unknown contact during a video call, in order to prevent the disclosure of sensitive data such as banking information or verification codes.
The power of Meta forces you (not to scam)!
Additionally, in Messenger, users will be able to enable a setting called “Scam Detection” from the Privacy and Security settings. Once activated, this option will alert users about potentially suspicious messages from unknown contacts that may contain signs of fraud. However, it is important to note that if a user decides to send messages for review by artificial intelligence, this will override end-to-end encryption.
Meta has taken strong action against fraud on its platforms, indicating that more than 21,000 pages and Facebook accounts posing as customer support have been removed. Since the beginning of the year, the company has detected approximately 8 million accounts linked to scam centers on Facebook and Instagram, targeting people of various ages, including seniors, using messaging, dating, and social media applications.
Scam schemes, known as “romance baiting” or “pig butchering”, are operated by syndicates of cybercriminals, mainly from Southeast Asia. This type of fraud involves the emotional manipulation of victims, who are led to believe in false investment opportunities linked to cryptocurrencies, triggering devastating financial losses.
With these new measures, Meta seeks to mitigate the risks associated with these scams, providing users with tools that allow them to identify and act in suspicious situations. More information is still expected on how these functionalities will be implemented globally.