Meta has announced that it shut down almost seven million WhatsApp accounts linked to scams in the first half of 2025. The company said it is adding more security tools to protect users from fraud.
“Our team identified the accounts and disabled them before the criminal organizations that created them could use them,” said Clair Deevy, WhatsApp’s Director of External Affairs.
According to Meta, most of the scams were operated by organized crime groups. These included fake cryptocurrency investments, pyramid schemes, and other “get-rich-quick” tricks.
“There is always a catch and it should be a red flag for everyone: you have to pay upfront to get promised returns or earnings,” WhatsApp explained in a blog post.
Meta revealed that more than 6.8 million of the blocked accounts came from scam centers in Southeast Asia. In one case, Meta and WhatsApp teamed up with OpenAI to disrupt a fraud operation in Cambodia that used ChatGPT to send scam messages with dangerous links.
To help users stay safe, WhatsApp is now showing “safety overviews” when people are added to new group chats. These alerts explain who created the group, provide tips on spotting scams, and give users the option to leave quickly.
“We’ve all been there: someone you don’t know attempting to message you, or add you to a group chat, promising low-risk investment opportunities or easy money, or saying you have an unpaid bill that’s overdue,” Meta said.
“The reality is, these are often scammers trying to prey on people’s kindness, trust and willingness to help — or, their fears that they could be in trouble if they don’t send money fast.”
Meta urged WhatsApp users to stay alert, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and always verify messages before sharing personal or financial details.
