If you rely heavily on WhatsApp and Messenger to go about your day, Meta has some good news for you as far as scam detection is concerned. Meta has unveiled a fresh suite of anti-scam protections across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger, designed to alert users to suspicious behaviour and help prevent fraudulent activity before it escalates. The announcements, focused particularly on high-risk tactics like unauthorised device linking and deceptive friend requests, come at a time when online scams continue to target vulnerable users worldwide, with India remaining a major hotspot.
The new tools build on Meta’s ongoing efforts to disrupt scam operations, which saw the company remove over 159 million scam ads globally last year, with 92% of them proactively before any user reports. Meta also banned more than 12.1 million pieces of fraudulent ad content in India alone in 2025, with over 93% taken down before detection by users or regulators.
WhatsApp device linking warnings
A key addition on WhatsApp is a behaviour-based warning system for device linking requests. Scammers frequently trick users into scanning QR codes or sharing verification codes to link the victim’s account to the fraudster’s device, often under pretexts like voting in a talent contest or claiming a prize. When signals indicate potential risk, WhatsApp now displays an alert showing the origin of the request and explicitly warns that it may be a scam, prompting users to pause and verify before proceeding.
This feature aims to interrupt one of the most effective account takeover methods, giving people a critical moment to reconsider and avoid handing over control of their chats, contacts, and linked payments.
Suspicious friend request alerts on Facebook
On Facebook, Meta is testing new alerts that trigger when users send or receive friend requests from accounts exhibiting red flags such as few or no mutual connections, mismatched location indicators, or other signs of inauthentic behaviour. The notification encourages informed decisions, whether to accept, reject, or block the request outright.
Messenger also sees a rollout of advanced scam detection. When conversations match patterns common to fraud, like fake job offers, investment schemes, or urgent money requests, users receive in-chat warnings and the option to submit recent messages for AI-powered review. If confirmed as suspicious, the platform guides users on blocking or reporting the account, helping contain the threat quickly.
Beyond product features, Meta states that it continues to collaborate with law enforcement and cybersecurity agencies to dismantle organised scam networks. In India, Meta recently launched the third edition of its flagship “Scam Se Bacho” campaign in partnership with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).