Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has taken a big step to fight online scams. This week, the company announced that it removed 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts in the first half of this year. According to Meta, these accounts were “linked to criminal scam centers” targeting people across the globe.

New Tools Rolled Out to Prevent Scams

Alongside this action, Meta also introduced new security tools for WhatsApp users. On Tuesday, the company revealed new features that aim to protect users from scams. These include a “safety overview” screen that appears when someone not in your contact list adds you to a group. Meta is also testing alert messages that prompt users to pause before replying to suspicious messages.

Scams Are Growing More Common and Smarter

Online scams are becoming more frequent and harder to detect. Scammers often use unrealistic offers or random messages to try to steal money or personal information. Meta pointed out that “some of the most prolific” scams are run by criminal scam centers. These operations are sometimes linked to organized crime and even forced labor.

The company warned that these groups often use many platforms at once to avoid being caught. So, a scam might begin on a dating app or text message, then shift to social media and payment apps.

Scams Spread Across Multiple Platforms

Meta, which also owns Facebook and Instagram, explained that scammers are now using a wide range of apps and tools. The company said recent scams have used TikTok, Telegram, and even AI-generated messages from ChatGPT.

In these scams, criminals offered money for fake likes, invited people into pyramid schemes, or tricked them into fake cryptocurrency investments. Meta said it traced these activities to a criminal scam center in Cambodia.

Meta and OpenAI Disrupt AI-Powered Scam Network

To tackle this advanced scam operation, Meta joined forces with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. The two companies worked together to stop the campaign and take down the network behind it.