Meta is introducing new scam detection tools on WhatsApp and Messenger to safeguard older users from online fraud. This is part of a broader initiative to enhance platform safety and combat scam operations.
Meta’s updates will include in-conversation warnings, alerts, and scam detection messages to help users identify and avoid suspicious activity by prompting them to carefully consider unusual messages or requests.
To combat rising online scams targeting older adults on platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger, Meta removed approximately 8 million scam accounts in the first half of 2025. These accounts were traced to scam centres in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines.
In addition, the company took action against over 21,000 Facebook Pages and accounts pretending to be customer service centres. These fake pages typically try to convince users to share personal details like passwords, bank information, or verification codes under the guise of helping them solve a problem.
Scams have become so prevalent that Facebook Page owners often ignore messages from customer support accounts, inadvertently hindering legitimate assistance.
These scams extend beyond social media to encompass messaging platforms, dating apps, and cryptocurrency exchanges. Older adults, who may be less tech-savvy, more trusting, or socially isolated, are frequently targeted.
New warnings and Meta’s scam detection tools
To tackle this growing problem, Meta is updating WhatsApp and Messenger with new features meant to prevent scams before they happen. WhatsApp will now warn users when screen sharing with unknown contacts, a feature scammers often exploit despite its legitimate uses, like tech support.
Criminals exploit screen sharing to steal victims’ bank details, security codes, or personal information. Meta hopes a visible warning will increase user awareness of these risks before they share sensitive data.
Messenger is testing a new system that automatically detects suspicious messages. When the app identifies scam-related phrases or patterns in a chat, it will display a “shows signs of a scam” notification.
The alert will warn users about common scam techniques, such as fake remote jobs or investment opportunities, and allow them to immediately block or report suspicious accounts.
Read also: Meta launches teen accounts on Facebook to deepen child protection
Meta states that these alerts aim to encourage users to pause and critically assess potentially fraudulent messages, a measure they believe could prevent thousands of scams annually.
Expanding efforts to combat online fraud
Meta is also partnering with the National Elder Fraud Coordination Centre (NEFCC), a U.S. nonprofit uniting law enforcement and companies like the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Amazon, Capital One, Google, Microsoft, and Walmart. This is with the aim of combating scams against older adults through information sharing and coordinated action.
By joining this group, Meta hopes to strengthen its ability to detect scam patterns across different industries and develop better prevention tools.
Online scams often rely on manipulation and emotional pressure rather than technical tricks. Scammers build trust over time, pretending to be friends, romantic partners, or helpful customer service representatives. They may contact victims repeatedly, send small requests for help, or create fake emergencies to convince them to send money.
Older adults are especially vulnerable to scams due to potential difficulty recognising digital warning signs and feelings of isolation. Scammers exploit loneliness and confusion, convincing victims they’re helping someone genuine. Beyond financial losses, these scams cause family conflict, embarrassment, and denial as victims defend the scammer’s authenticity.
Meta’s latest updates mark one of its most direct efforts to address online scams within its apps. While the company has removed millions of fake accounts and pages, scams continue to evolve. By placing the warnings directly inside the user experience, for example, during a call or message, Meta aims to reach users at the exact moment when they might be at risk.
The company did not say how soon these updates will reach all users globally, but it confirmed that testing has already begun for Messenger’s detection system, while WhatsApp’s screen-sharing warning will roll out gradually.
