Meta, the owner of WhatsApp and Messenger, has introduced enhanced safety measures to protect users, particularly seniors, from scams on its platforms. These updates come as part of Meta's ongoing efforts to combat malicious activities.
WhatsApp and Messenger Safeguards
On WhatsApp, Meta has added a new feature that warns users when they share their screen during video calls with unfamiliar contacts. This aims to prevent data interception by scammers.
Messenger implements on-device behavioral analysis to flag suspicious messages from unknown contacts. Users can opt to submit these messages for a cloud-based analysis, though this might break end-to-end encryption since Meta needs to read the message content.
Partnerships and Scam Trends
Meta partnered with Graphika to analyze and document scam trends. Notable deceitful tactics include fake home improvement services and fraudulent debt relief sites, disproportionately affecting seniors. Scammers also impersonate support staff on social media, targeting commenters under legitimate company posts.
In a notable case, Meta has taken down over 21,000 fake Facebook pages pretending to be customer service pages. The annual cost of scams in the U.S. reached $16.6 billion in 2024, with over $4.8 billion lost by individuals aged 60 or older.
Additional Protective Measures
Apart from these protections, Meta is testing facial recognition to detect celebrity-bait ads, as deepfake technology increases impersonation risks. Users are advised to adopt security measures like Passkeys and Security Checkup to enhance their account security. Passkeys provide secure logins using biometric data or a PIN.
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