WhatsApp has introduced a new tool aimed at preventing scams, as announced on Tuesday. The feature, known as Safety Overview, activates when an individual who is not saved in your contacts adds you to a group chat. The Meta-owned messaging platform will provide crucial details about the group and offer guidance on how to avoid potential phishing and scam threats. In its ongoing campaign to safeguard users, WhatsApp has detected and eliminated over 6.8 million accounts associated with scam operations.
Introducing Safety Overview on WhatsApp
According to a post from Meta’s newsroom, the Safety Overview feature activates when an unfamiliar user adds you to a WhatsApp group. This tool will reveal various details such as the identity of the individual who invited you, the total number of participants, the creator of the group, and the date it was established.
Users can assess this information before deciding whether to remain in the group or exit. If the Safety Overview hints at a familiar context, users can explore the chat messages for further insights. However, if they choose to leave, WhatsApp allows them to do so without needing to review any messages, according to Meta’s guidelines.
Additionally, for one-on-one chats, WhatsApp is piloting a feature that warns users when starting a conversation with someone not in their contacts. This will provide extra context about the unknown user, aiding in making informed decisions.
These features are part of WhatsApp’s broader initiative to protect users against scams. The company has reported the suspension of over 680,000 accounts linked to fraudulent activities. Furthermore, WhatsApp has collaborated with its parent company, Meta, and Sam Altman’s OpenAI to combat scam operations, including a specific network operating from Cambodia.
The perpetrators allegedly utilized ChatGPT to orchestrate various scams, which included schemes for offering payments for fake likes, enticing individuals into cryptocurrency investments, and a deceptive rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme.
