Meta shuts down nearly 7 million WhatsApp accounts in major scam crackdown

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Aug 6, 2025: Meta announced Tuesday that it has shut down nearly 7 million WhatsApp accounts linked to scam operations during the first half of 2025, as part of an ongoing effort to curb fraudulent activity on the messaging platform.

The company said it proactively identified and disabled 6.8 million scam-related accounts, many of them operating out of Southeast Asia, before they could be used by criminal networks.

"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.

The scams, often run by organized gangs, span a wide range—from fake cryptocurrency investment schemes to get-rich-quick pyramid rackets, executives revealed during a media briefing.

Meta-owned WhatsApp also warned users about classic scam tactics, such as being asked to pay upfront to receive promised returns, a common red flag in fraudulent schemes.

In one notable case, Meta and OpenAI worked together to take down a scam ring in Cambodia that used ChatGPT to craft fraudulent WhatsApp messages containing links designed to lure victims into fake investment groups.

To enhance user protection, WhatsApp has rolled out new safety features, including alerts when users are added to unknown group chats. A new "Safety Overview" section now helps users assess group details, learn how to spot scams, and exit potentially harmful conversations 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 in a blog post.

Meta says it remains committed to strengthening defenses as scammers continue evolving their tactics.