WhatsApp Wields New Features to Ward Off Fraud
In a move to combat rising fraudulent activity, WhatsApp has rolled out new features aimed at protecting users from scams. On Tuesday, the Meta-owned messaging platform announced the termination of over 6.8 million accounts globally as part of a recent crackdown on deceptive operations, according to a report by TechCrunch.
The newly introduced features are designed to help users detect potential scams both in group and private chats. When added to a group, the “Safety Overview” feature will indicate whether the new member is in the user's contact list and if anyone familiar is already in the group. For unfamiliar groups, notifications will now remain muted by default until the user actively decides to engage.
In one-on-one chats, WhatsApp will now issue warnings before users begin conversations with unknown contacts. The app's latest investigations reveal that scammers have used ChatGPT to lure users into fake engagement schemes, fraudulent scooter rentals, and deceptive cryptocurrency investments.
WhatsApp has advised users to "verify any suspicious messages before taking action" as a precautionary measure against deception.
