Meta Deactivates Millions of WhatsApp Accounts Tied to Scam Operations

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Meta has disabled almost seven million WhatsApp accounts in the first half of the year due to links with fraudulent activities, the company confirmed on Tuesday.

Clair Deevy, Director of External Affairs at WhatsApp, stated that these accounts were taken down before they could be used by the criminal networks that created them.

The scams, often operated by organized groups, reportedly involved deceptive investment offers, including fake cryptocurrency schemes and pyramid models. WhatsApp warned users to be cautious of any offer that requires advance payment for promised financial returns.

According to Meta, over 6.8 million scam-related accounts were blocked, with a significant number traced to Southeast Asia.

Meta and WhatsApp also collaborated with OpenAI to shut down a scam traced to Cambodia. The operation used AI-generated messages, created through ChatGPT, which included links to WhatsApp chats designed to deceive users.

To help users avoid falling victim to these scams, WhatsApp has rolled out new safety features. Users will now receive warnings when added to group chats by unknown individuals. These notifications will include information about the group and tips for identifying suspicious activity, along with an easy way to exit.

In a blog post, Meta highlighted the typical tactics used by scammers — including unsolicited messages that offer financial opportunities or claim unpaid bills, aiming to manipulate users through fear or false promises.