Meta adds scam detection to Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger

On Wednesday, Meta announced the introduction of new scam detection tools across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger. The features are designed to alert users before they engage with suspicious activity. In its announcement, Meta noted that scammers attempt to avoid detection and may not immediately use accounts maliciously.

On Facebook, the company is testing new alerts to warn users about suspicious friend requests. When a user sends or receives a request from an account showing signs of suspicious activity—such as having few mutual friends or listing a different country as its location—Facebook will display an alert prompting them to review the request. This prompt is intended to help users decide whether to block or accept the request.

For WhatsApp, Meta is launching device-linking warnings to prevent scammers from tricking users into linking their accounts to unauthorized devices. Scammers may pose as a talent competition asking users to vote by visiting a website and entering their phone number, followed by a device-linking code on WhatsApp. They may also attempt to trick users into scanning a QR code under false pretenses. To counter these tactics, WhatsApp will alert users when behavioral signals suggest a linking request might be suspicious. These alerts will show where the request is coming from and warn users that it could be a scam.

Meanwhile, Meta is rolling out its advanced scam detection for Messenger to more countries this month. When a chat with a new contact contains patterns commonly associated with scams, such as suspicious job offers, Messenger will warn users and ask if they want to share recent chat messages for an AI scam review. If the tool detects a scam, Meta will encourage the user to block or report the suspicious account, while also providing more information about common scams.

Alongside the new features, Meta released enforcement statistics from last year. The company’s moderation efforts resulted in the following actions:

• The removal of more than 159 million scam ads, 92% of which were taken down before anyone reported them.
• The removal of 10.9 million accounts across Facebook and Instagram associated with criminal scam centers.

Why it matters

Meta is expanding its scam detection capabilities across its major messaging and social platforms to proactively warn users about suspicious activity like fraudulent friend requests and unauthorized device linking.