WhatsApp has shared a new update on how it prevents fraud and introduced a new feature aimed at protecting users from possible scams. Users will now receive notifications when they are added to a new WhatsApp group by someone who is not in their contacts.
This security overview will include key details about the group chat, such as the number of participants, whether the other participants are in their contacts, and the date the chat started. It also offers some reminders on how to avoid being scammed. Users can opt out of the group without even looking at the chat, or they can look into the chat to see if it’s a group they want to participate in.
WhatsApp said it will “continue to test new approaches” to deliver similar notifications in individual direct messages on its service. These tools appear to be still under development, but the company noted that it is working on how to catch scammers who initiate contact on another platform before bringing the conversation to WhatsApp.
In addition to the built-in tools, WhatsApp said that it has also identified and blocked many accounts that were used to commit fraud. In the first half of 2025, the company reported that it had identified and blocked more than 6.8 million accounts linked to fraud centers.
The Federal Trade Commission has published numerous reports over the years on the prevalence of fraud on social media platforms.
