Meta adds anti-scam warnings on WhatsApp and Messenger

Meta announced on Tuesday that it is rolling out new anti-scam tools for its messaging apps, introducing warnings on WhatsApp and advanced scam detection options in Messenger aimed in part at protecting older users who are frequently targeted. The company said the measures will alert people when a message or screen-share attempt appears suspicious and offer options such as blocking, reporting, or sending content to Meta for AI review.

On WhatsApp, the update will display a warning when a user attempts to share their screen during a video call with someone who is not in their contacts. Meta said this is intended to disrupt a growing tactic in which fraudsters impersonate customer service agents and pressure victims to share screens to capture account usernames, verification codes, and other sensitive details. "We know scammers may pressure their targets to share their screen to trick people into giving away sensitive information including bank details or verification codes," Meta said.

Messenger will receive a testing phase of more advanced detection inside chats. When a new contact sends a message that the system identifies as potentially scammy, users will see a warning and be...