Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 6: In a major move to combat rising online scams, WhatsApp has launched a new safety feature in India aimed at stopping one of the most common fraud tactics — adding unsuspecting users to shady group chats.

The new feature, called “safety overview,” acts as a digital checkpoint, showing users a preview screen before they are added to group chats by unknown numbers. If someone who isn’t in your contact list tries to add you to a group, the preview will reveal critical details such as the group creator, the number of participants, and safety advice — all before any messages are visible.

Until the user decides to join or exit, notifications from the group are muted, ensuring no spam or misleading messages are received unintentionally.

The feature is part of WhatsApp’s broader push to clamp down on fraud attempts that often begin with unsolicited group additions — a popular method in job-related scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and phishing attacks.

Meta–WhatsApp task force bans 6.8 million scam-linked accounts

In parallel to product updates, WhatsApp—working in conjunction with Meta’s larger security apparatus—is aggressively pursuing scam networks. The company has been targeting so-called “scam centres” operating at scale, often under the control of organised crime rings and involving forced labour in regions of Southeast Asia.

Between January and June 2025, the platform banned more than 6.8 million accounts connected to these operations—many of them detected and removed before they had the chance to go live or reach victims. The sweeping enforcement is part of a coordinated effort by major tech companies to combat the growing complexity of online scams.

In one notable case, OpenAI, Meta, and WhatsApp collaborated to dismantle a major scam ring operating out of Cambodia. Meta said, “This particular scam used ChatGPT to create initial messages that directed people to a WhatsApp chat, which then moved to Telegram. Before requesting money to be sent into a cryptocurrency account, the scammers would first establish trust by offering fictitious jobs, such as getting paid to ‘like’ videos.”

WhatsApp urges vigilance, highlights tools for self-protection

While technological safeguards are improving, WhatsApp continues to emphasise that user awareness remains the most effective defence.

“Users must remain vigilant to protect themselves from scams. It is crucial to always pause and consider the risks before responding to suspicious messages, particularly those from unknown numbers that promise quick financial gains,” the company stated in its advisory.

To enhance safety, WhatsApp recommends users take the following precautions:

• Perform a privacy check-up

• Enable two-step verification

• Use the block and report functions

• Activate the ‘Silence Unknown Callers’ feature

• Always use the official version of WhatsApp, avoiding third-party clones

As online scams grow increasingly sophisticated, WhatsApp and Meta are responding with a multi-layered approach—building smarter tools, stepping up enforcement, and educating users on safe digital practices.

The introduction of the ‘safety overview’ feature marks the beginning of what could be a series of user-focused protections rolled out in the near future.