WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts in Global Crackdown
- tech360.tv
- Aug 7
- 2 min read
WhatsApp has removed more than 6.8 million accounts linked to scams in the first half of 2024, according to parent company Meta.
Many of the accounts were tied to scam centres operated by organised criminal groups in South East Asia, where forced labour is often used in fraudulent operations.
The announcement came as WhatsApp introduced new anti-scam features, including alerts when users are added to group chats by people outside their contact lists.
Meta said WhatsApp proactively detected and removed the accounts before they could be used in scams.
The crackdown targets tactics such as hijacking WhatsApp accounts or adding users to group chats promoting fake investment schemes and other frauds.
In one case, WhatsApp collaborated with Meta and OpenAI to disrupt a Cambodian criminal group that used ChatGPT to create instructions for a fake rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme.
Scammers often begin by contacting victims via text message, then move conversations to social media or private messaging apps, Meta said.
The scams typically conclude on payment or cryptocurrency platforms, where victims are asked to pay upfront to receive promised returns.
UK consumer rights group Which? welcomed the move but urged Meta to do more to stop scams across all its platforms.
Consumer law expert Lisa Webb said users of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are frequently targeted with fraudulent ads for fake investments, products and job offers.
Webb called on UK regulator Ofcom to enforce the Online Safety Act and introduce strict rules for paid ads to hold tech firms accountable for content on their platforms.
Scam centres in countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand are known to defraud victims of billions of USD annually.
These centres often recruit individuals who are then forced to carry out scams under coercion.
Authorities in the region have advised users to activate WhatsApp’s two-step verification and remain cautious of suspicious messages.
In Singapore, police have warned residents to be alert to unusual requests received through messaging apps.
WhatsApp deleted 6.8 million scam-linked accounts in early 2024
Many accounts were tied to criminal scam centres in South East Asia
New features alert users to suspicious group chat activity
Source: BBC
