In October 2025, Meta unveiled a fresh wave of anti-scam tools for WhatsApp and Messenger, part of a broader push to protect users from evolving fraud threats. As scams become more sophisticated—and increasingly exploit encrypted messaging platforms—these new features aim to help users detect and deflect malicious activity before it’s too late. In this article, we explore what the new tools do, how they work, and what users and security professionals should watch for going forward.
Why This Matters: Rising Scam Threats in Messaging Apps
Scams via messaging platforms have grown in scale and complexity. Criminal “scam centers” often operate across multiple services—SMS, social media, chats, and crypto platforms—to avoid detection.
Meta reports that in the first half of 2025 alone, WhatsApp disabled 6.8 million accounts tied to scam centers. In addition, Meta says it has taken down over 21,000 pages and accounts impersonating customer support brands across its platforms.
These numbers reflect not only aggressive enforcement but also underscore the scale of the challenge. Messaging tools are attractive to fraudsters because they combine privacy (or perceived privacy), immediacy, and direct access to victims.
Given that WhatsApp and Messenger are among the most used messaging services globally, Meta’s push signals how seriously the company views scam risk. It also underscores a broader trend: Big Tech must evolve from reactive detection to proactive, context-aware defenses.
What’s New: Meta’s Anti-Scam Features Explained
Here’s a breakdown of the key features Meta has introduced (or is testing) for WhatsApp and Messenger:
1. Screen-Sharing Warnings on WhatsApp Video Calls
One of the more novel protections is a warning prompt when a user attempts to share their screen with an unknown contact during a WhatsApp video call. The idea is to thwart scammers who pressure victims into revealing sensitive data—such as bank details, OTP codes, or account credentials—by asking them to share their screen.
2. Safety Overview When Added to a Group
WhatsApp now shows a “safety overview” card when someone not in your contacts adds you to a group. This overview offers meta-information about the group (creation date, number of members, warnings) and gives you the option to exit the group before seeing any messages.
Group notifications are also silenced until the user opts in, reducing the chance of accidental engagement.
3. Contextual Alerts in One-to-One Chats
When a conversation is initiated by someone outside your contact list, WhatsApp may show context information or cautious prompts—helping you pause and think before responding. This is still in testing, but the aim is to provide users with helpful cues before they commit to a conversation.
4. AI-Powered Scam Detection in Messenger
On Messenger, Meta is testing a more proactive scam detection system. When a new contact sends a potentially suspicious message, the system may:
- Warn the user of possible scam risks
- Offer to submit recent messages for AI review
- If a scam is detected, show educational prompts and suggest actions such as block or report
This feature is enabled by default but can be toggled off in Privacy & Safety settings.
5. Passkey Authentication Across Platforms
Meta is expanding support for passkeys, which allow secure login via biometric or device-level authentication (fingerprint, face ID, PIN) rather than passwords. This helps reduce account takeover risk due to stolen or phished credentials.
6. Enhanced Security & Privacy Checkups
Meta is updating its checkup workflows across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. On WhatsApp, the Privacy Checkup guides users through group settings (who can add you, who can see info) and other controls. Facebook/Instagram’s Security Checkup helps review login activity, password strength, and two-factor authentication.
Strengths, Limitations & Risks
Strengths
- Proactive vs reactive: The AI-based warning and review systems aim to catch suspicious behavior before damage is done.
- User education built in: Prompts and contextual help can teach users about scams in the moment, rather than relying on external awareness campaigns.
- Cross-platform consistency: Features are being rolled out across WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, and Instagram—helping unify security posture.
- Account enforcement at scale: Disabling millions of scam-linked accounts shows that Meta is not just adding features but enforcing behavior.
Limitations & Challenges
- False positives / user friction: Automated warnings may annoy users if misclassifications occur. Users might disable them altogether.
- Evasive techniques: Scammers continuously evolve tactics—using AI, code words, or moving conversations off-platform.
- End-to-end encryption constraints: Because WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted, Meta has limited visibility into message content, which constrains detection.
- User behavior is the weakest link: Even the best tool fails if users ignore warnings or click recklessly.
- Regulation & jurisdictional pressure: Some governments demand stronger anti-scam controls. For instance, Singapore has ordered Meta to implement stricter measures under its Online Criminal Harms Act.
A Step Forward, but Not the Destination
Meta’s launch of new anti-scam tools for WhatsApp and Messenger is a meaningful step in the ongoing battle against fraud. The combination of real-time warnings, AI detection, user education, and enforcement mechanisms positions Meta better than many previous efforts.
However, we must treat these tools as augmentations, not panaceas. Fraudsters will continue evolving new techniques—especially leveraging generative AI, social engineering, and multi-platform campaigns. The responsibility still lies partly with users, security-minded organizations, and regulatory frameworks to keep pace.
In essence, Meta is raising the bar. But the arms race between defenders and attackers continues—and we must remain vigilant.
