Meta Gives 3 Important Tips on How to Avoid Falling for Scam Accounts on WhatsApp
- Meta said it is cracking down on scam accounts which are suspected to be engaging in illegal activities on WhatsApp
- According to the social media giant, between January and June 2025 alone, over 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts were deleted
- In an information sent to Legit.ng, Meta shared some important things people can do to avoid falling for scam accounts on WhatsApp
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Meta has tightened the nose on WhatsApp with the aim of removing accounts suspected to be engaging in illegal activities.
Meta said over a period of six months in 2025, it axed 6.8 million accounts on WhatsApp.
Source: Getty Images
According to the social media giant, the deleted accounts engaged in what it described as 'scam centres.'
In a statement made available to Legit.ng, Meta had said:
"Today, WhatsApp announced significant advancements in its ongoing fight against sophisticated messaging scams, including taking down millions of accounts linked to criminal scam centers and the rollout of new in-app safety features designed to protect users globally.
"These efforts underscore WhatsApp’s commitment to user security amidst a landscape of increasingly complex fraudulent schemes. In the first six months of this year alone, WhatsApp proactively detected and banned over 6.8 million accounts associated with criminal scam centers.
"These decisive actions were taken before scam centers could fully operationalize their fraudulent campaigns, preventing potential harm to countless users.
Meta shares 3 tips to avoid WhatsApp scams
According to Meta, WhatsApp users can easily detect scam accounts if they follow a few tips.
It said:
WhatsApp encourages all users to adopt a "Pause, Question, Verify" approach when encountering suspicious or unusual messages."
Legit.ng highlights the three tips as mentioned by Meta.
1. Pause before responding to a message
Meta advises WhatsApp users to not respond immediately to a message that flew into their DM.
The company said there is a need to pause and check the nature of the message and the number sending it.
Meta stated:
"Take time before responding. Think about whether this is a number you recognize, or whether it reads like a legitimate ask."
2. Ask questions before responding
WhatsApp users have been advised to ask critical questions before responding to a message request.
Meta says:
"Does the request make sense? Does it seem too good to be true? Are they asking for money, gift cards, or PIN codes? Are they rushing you into taking action? These might be signs of a scam."
3. Verify identities of WhatsApp contacts
According to Meta, before responding to a message, users are advised to check the identity of the sender.
It says:
"If the sender claims to be a friend or family member, verify their identity directly through another communication method (e.g., a phone call to a known number) before taking any action.
"WhatsApp remains dedicated to continually enhancing its security measures and collaborating with industry partners to create a safer digital environment for its global community."
Meanwhile, Meta said the fight against scams on WhatsApp remains relentless.
It says:
"A new safety overview will now appear when a user is added to an unfamiliar group by someone not in their contacts.
"This overview provides key group information and safety tips, allowing users to exit the group without viewing the chat. Notifications from such groups will be silenced until the user explicitly chooses to engage.
"WhatsApp is testing new approaches to caution users before they engage with unknown contacts. This includes providing additional context about the sender when initiating a chat with someone not in their contacts, enabling users to make informed decisions."
Source: Getty Images
People affected if Meta exits Nigeria
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that there are many people, organisations that will be affected if Meta decides to close down Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp in Nigeria.
Also, content creators, businesses, corporate organisations, online vendors, media houses and even the government use it to reach their audience.
Recently, social media giant Meta threatened to shut down Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp in Nigeria owing to a dispute with the government.
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Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
