WhatsApp is curbing scam networks by banning millions of malicious accounts

WHATSAPP has ramped up its global efforts to combat criminal scam networks, removing millions of malicious accounts and launching enhanced in-app safety tools to safeguard users from fraud and deception.

- MASABATA MKWANANZI

The tech giant revealed that over the past six months, it proactively identified and banned more than 6.8 million accounts tied to criminal scam syndicates. These swift actions halted scammers before they could roll out their fraudulent schemes, safeguarding millions of users from potential harm.

In 2023, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela fell victim to a WhatsApp scam. On June 7, she revealed on X that both she and a friend lost thousands of rand after a scammer took over the WhatsApp account of a mutual friend to trick them.

"He was pretending to be that friend. It was only when the scammer became so greedy and brazen that my son and I figured out the scam and warned other friends. WhatsApp ID theft or hacking is real," she tweeted.

WhatsApp highlighted that scammers usually work from criminal scam centres running various schemes simultaneously, such as fraudulent cryptocurrency investments and pyramid schemes. They often ask for upfront payments to guarantee returns, which serves as a major warning sign. These scams start on platforms like dating apps or through texts, then shift to social media, messaging apps like WhatsApp, and finally to payment or crypto platforms.