WhatsApp, owned by Meta, shut down 6.8 million accounts in the first half of 2025 that were linked to global scam operations. Many of these were tied to criminal scam centers in Southeast Asia, using forced labor to run pyramid schemes, fake investment scams, and cryptocurrency fraud. The action reflects a shift from reactive cleanups to proactive prevention, blocking fraudulent accounts before they can harm users.
At the same time, WhatsApp has introduced new safety tools. Users now see a safety overview when someone not in their contacts adds them to a group. One-on-one messages from unknown senders trigger alerts prompting users to pause and think before responding.
Why This Matters
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Scams today are highly organized and use multiple platforms in concert – WhatsApp, Telegram, TikTok – to lure victims into crypto traps or fake schemes.
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Opportunistic fraud leverages AI-generated content crafted via tools like ChatGPT, making it harder to distinguish real from fake.
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Preventive features like alerts and overviews empower users to identify suspicious activity before it unfolds.
How COE Security Can Help
COE Security partners with organizations in financial services, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and government to defend against messaging-based fraud:
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AI-enhanced threat detection and real-time monitoring to flag suspicious messaging behaviors
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Scam awareness training focused on recognizing multi-platform campaigns
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Incident response planning for messaging channel escalations
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Penetration testing that includes phishing simulations and messaging platform exposures
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Compliance support aligned with GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS regarding secure user communications and fraud liability
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s sweeping removal of scam-linked accounts and rollout of proactive safety features illustrate a growing trend toward prevention. As messaging-based fraud evolves, organizations and users must stay alert and adapt security strategies to meet these cross-platform threats head-on.
About COE Security
COE Security partners with organizations in financial services, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and government to secure AI-powered systems and ensure compliance. Our offerings include:
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AI-enhanced threat detection and real-time monitoring
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Data governance aligned with GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS
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Secure model validation to guard against adversarial attacks
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Customized training to embed AI security best practices
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Penetration Testing (Mobile, Web, AI, Product, IoT, Network and Cloud)
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Secure Software Development Consulting (SSDLC)
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Customized CyberSecurity Services
We help clients stay ahead with robust messaging fraud defenses, real-time threat insights, and compliance-driven security frameworks.
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