WhatsApp has banned over 6.8 million accounts tied to scams between January and June 2025, as part of its ongoing efforts to fight fraud.
Meta’s VP of Public Policy for Africa, the Middle East and Türkiye, Kojo Boakye, said the bans disrupted criminal networks before they could fully target users.
Many scams begin on dating sites or via texts, then move to WhatsApp and redirect victims to fake crypto platforms.
Boakye cited a recent case where a Cambodia-based group used AI tools like ChatGPT to craft scam messages.
The group luring victims from WhatsApp to Telegram and tricking them into fake investments.
The scheme was stopped through collaboration between Meta, WhatsApp and OpenAI.
To boost safety, WhatsApp is rolling out features like group alerts when added by unknown contacts and warnings for messages from unfamiliar numbers.
Boakye urged users to stay cautious and avoid sharing personal info with strangers.
He reaffirmed WhatsApp’s commitment to user protection and collaboration with industry and governments to combat digital fraud.