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Meta announced it banned 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts in the first half of 2025, citing connections to large-scale fraud operations based in Southeast Asia. These included crypto frauds, multi-level marketing traps, fake job schemes, and investment swindles.
Victims were baited with guaranteed returns and manipulated through fake dashboards showing fabricated profits. According to Meta, its detection systems helped take down scam networks before they could access users’ data or siphon money.
New WhatsApp Safety Features Launched
In response to rising fraud, WhatsApp introduced a Group Chat Safety Overview. If a user is added to a group by someone outside their contact list, the app now displays essential group metadata (creator, participant count, and safety tips) before allowing engagement.
A one-click leave option ensures that users can exit silently. Individual chat alerts are also in development to provide clearer context when contacted by unknown numbers. Note that this experimental feature is currently only available in India, a country hard hit with WhatsApp scams for years. Meta has not verified that it has any plans to roll out Safety Overview globally at the moment.
Alarming Rise of WhatsApp Scams in Pakistan
The Digital Rights Foundation reported 233 cases of WhatsApp hijacking in Pakistan since January 2025. These involve callers pretending to be from courier companies, the Higher Education Commission, or even mobile operators. Victims are tricked into revealing one-time passwords or verification codes, allowing scammers to take over accounts and impersonate them.
Pakistan’s telecom watchdog has also issued alerts about OTP fraud, urging citizens to enable two-factor authentication and report suspicious calls. The country’s 52 million WhatsApp users remain highly vulnerable.
Newly Reported WhatsApp Scams Targeting Pakistani Users
Recent investigations have revealed at least three prominent scam types active across Pakistan:
- Fake Prize and Quiz Scams – Victims receive messages claiming they won a cash prize or mobile device. They are prompted to click a link or share personal data and are then blackmailed or defrauded.
- Verified Blue Tick” Scams – Users are told they are eligible for WhatsApp verification (a blue checkmark), but need to provide their account PIN or pay a small fee. Scammers use this to hijack the account or steal money.
- Loan Application Frauds – Posing as microfinance companies, scammers offer instant loans via WhatsApp, asking users to install malicious apps or provide sensitive documents, which are then misused.
These scams are increasingly sophisticated, sometimes using AI-generated voices and regional language targeting to enhance credibility.
Meta and OpenAI Disrupt AI-Assisted Scam Operations
Meta, in partnership with OpenAI, recently dismantled a scam network operating out of Cambodia that used ChatGPT to craft phishing messages.
Victims were moved from WhatsApp to Telegram and TikTok, lured into crypto schemes, and asked to complete tasks like video likes or app downloads in return for promised profits.
These AI-generated scams can mimic government or financial authority communication, making detection harder.
Cybersecurity Experts Recommend the P-Q-V Rule
To protect users, experts recommend the Pause, Question, Verify method:
- Pause before responding to urgent-sounding messages.
- Question the identity of the sender.
- Verify their claims via a separate and trusted method.
Users are advised to enable two-step verification, refrain from sharing codes with anyone, review linked devices, and use WhatsApp’s in-app reporting features.
A Call for Caution in a Hyperconnected World
Consumer fraud in the last year alone hit a record 12.5 billion dollars in losses worldwide. With scammers now deploying AI and cross-platform coordination, traditional signs of fraud are becoming harder to spot.
Meta’s enforcement and Pakistan’s national alerts are a crucial step forward, but they are not enough on their own. Vigilance, awareness, and digital literacy are essential to stop this growing wave of scams.
