Meta boosts safety on WhatsApp, Messenger with new anti-scam features
Meta announced updates as of March 2026 to help keep scams at bay on WhatsApp and Messenger, and has also taken down accounts linked to scam centers in parts of Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
The big highlights: WhatsApp now warns you before you share your screen with strangers, and Messenger is testing advanced scam-detection that flags suspicious messages and lets users submit messages for AI-powered review.
New scam detection on Messenger
On WhatsApp, if you try to screen share with someone you don't know, you'll get a heads-up, so it's harder to accidentally leak passwords or banking info.
There's also a new safety overview for unfamiliar groups, showing when the group was created, how many people are in it, and some privacy tips.
Over on Messenger, advanced scam-detection is being tested that flags suspicious messages and can use AI-powered review of recent messages.
Meta is removing millions of scam accounts
Meta isn't just adding features.
Meta recently removed more than 150,000 accounts tied to scam operations (as reported March 2026) and wiped out thousands of fake support pages.
Plus, they're teaming up with OpenAI to take down big scam operations (like a recent crypto fraud ring in Cambodia), showing they're serious about keeping chats safer for everyone.