WhatsApp is testing a new warning for scam messages

Meta announced it’s rolling out a new feature for WhatsApp users in the fight against scammers. Scam Alert is an optional beta feature that uses an on-device machine-learning model to flag likely scam messages from people who are not in a user’s contacts. The Scam Alert feature arrives as scammers increasingly use WhatsApp for impersonation, fake jobs , fake sales , investment fraud, romance baiting, malicious links, and payment requests. These campaigns often begin on another platform before moving victims into a private chat, where criminals can apply pressure and build trust. Once enabled, Scam Alert downloads a machine-learning model to the device and examines incoming messages from non-contacts for patterns associated with scams. WhatsApp says the model uses linguistic signals and conversational structure learned from scam conversations previously reported by users. It is a meaningful new defensive layer, but it will not block anything. Instead, it alerts the user to stop and think carefully before engaging with the sender. There’s another important limitation: some of the most effective WhatsApp scams arrive from a compromised contact, such as the recent “ vote for my friend ” account-takeover campaign. Because the message appears to come from someone the victim already knows, an unknown-sender warning may never appear. Scam Alert is another step in Meta’s anti-scam campaign across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger to fight sophisticated fraud tactics. Don’t recognize that number? We’ll check it. If the model identifies what might be a scam, WhatsApp displays a warning banner in the chat. The sender does not see the warning, so the feature should not tip off a scammer that their approach has been detected. Users can then: Block the sender, preventing further messages. Report the chat to WhatsApp. Continue the conversation if they believe it is legitimate. Mark the chat as trusted, which removes the warning and prevents Scam Alert from flagging that conversation again. WhatsApp’s Scam Alert is a promising example of using on-device AI to add friction to scams without requiring a provider to read private conversations. Its optional nature, local classification, transparency commitments, and lack of automatic reporting are notable design choices for an encrypted messaging service. The feature is currently in a limited beta rollout and is being tested with researchers in Meta’s bug bounty community before a wider release. How to stay safe To protect your WhatsApp account from takeover: Enable two-step verification for WhatsApp . Don’t click unexpected links, particularly if the message asks you to verify, connect, or link your WhatsApp account. Never follow instructions to link devices or scan QR codes unless you initiated the action yourself. Regularly review your linked devices in WhatsApp ( Settings > Linked devices ) and log out of any you don’t recognize. To stay out of the hands of scammers: Be wary when a Facebook or Instagram exchange tries to migrate to WhatsApp. That handoff to a private channel is a classic scammer move, taking the conversation away from public scrutiny and platform enforcement. Research the account that contacted you. What other activity is there on the account? Do they have an established profile? Pay with a card or service that offers chargeback protection. Never pay by bank transfer, cryptocurrency, gift card, or Friends and Family payment methods when buying from someone you don’t know. Remember that seeing an ad on a major platform isn’t an endorsement. Scammers routinely place ads alongside legitimate businesses. If you’re unsure whether a flagged chat is a scam attempt, you can always ask Malwarebytes Scam Guard for a second opinion. It’s free, available for mobile , desktop , and integrated into major AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude . Something feel off? Check it before you click. Malwarebytes Scam Guard helps you analyze suspicious links, texts, and screenshots instantly. Available with Malwarebytes Premium Security for all your devices, and in the Malwarebytes app for iOS and Android . Try it free → About the author Was a Microsoft MVP in consumer security for 12 years running. Can speak four languages. Smells of rich mahogany and leather-bound books.