Meta is expanding its efforts to protect older internet users from scams, launching new tools on WhatsApp and Messenger as part of its global cybersecurity campaign. The company says many of these scams rely on pressure tactics and confusion, often convincing people to share private details during everyday online interactions.
Online fraud remains one of the fastest-growing crimes. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report showed that Americans over 60 lost a combined $4.8 billion last year. Meta’s own monitoring teams have traced millions of fake accounts linked to scam centers operating across Asia and the Middle East, using social media and messaging apps to impersonate officials, service agents, or relatives.
To curb these schemes, Meta is adding[1] an extra layer of protection inside its chat platforms. WhatsApp will now warn users before they share their screens with unknown contacts, a step designed to stop scammers from gaining access to financial details or verification codes. Meta said its research found many scams start when a caller persuades a victim to “just show your screen” to help resolve a fake issue.
Messenger is also testing an automated scam detection feature powered by on-device intelligence. When a suspicious message appears from a new contact, the app can alert the user and offer to send the recent chat for AI analysis. If the system flags a likely scam, it provides guidance on how to respond, including blocking or reporting the account. The company emphasizes that regular conversations remain encrypted, but AI review only happens if users choose to share messages for inspection.
These features are part of Meta’s broader push to tackle criminal networks exploiting its platforms. In the first half of 2025, the company says it removed close to eight million accounts linked to organized scam operations. It also shut down more than 21,000 Pages posing as customer service teams for airlines, banks, and retailers. Working with researchers at Graphika and the Tech Against Scams Coalition, Meta has traced and disrupted online rings that used fake dating profiles and refund claims to steal data or money.
Partnerships are now central to the company’s anti-fraud strategy. Meta recently joined the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center, a nonprofit that brings together law enforcement and technology firms including AARP, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. The alliance focuses on identifying large-scale operations and helping older victims recover losses more quickly.
Alongside product updates, Meta has shared basic safety advice tailored for seniors and their families. The company urges people to pause before acting on unsolicited calls or messages that ask for personal or banking information. It also encourages older adults to contact companies directly through verified websites or helplines instead of following links in texts or social media posts.
Families are being asked to play a role as well. Meta’s guide recommends that relatives check in when someone feels pressured or rushed to make a payment, and to direct them toward trusted organizations such as AARP’s Fraud Watch Network or the FBI’s complaint center.
Education remains a key part of the campaign. In Thailand, Meta helped train more than a hundred seniors and health workers on digital safety practices under the “Cyber Smart Senior” program. In Europe, it partnered with influencers and universities to promote scam awareness through short videos. In India, local creators turned everyday street signs into reminders to double-check links and activate two-factor authentication.
While these initiatives show progress, the company’s balancing act is clear. Meta continues to promote AI-generated content across its apps, even as it warns users about AI-assisted scams that often spread the same way. The tension between innovation and safety has become part of its identity.
Still, the message is simple. Older adults can reduce their risk by staying alert, questioning unexpected requests, and using the safety tools already built into the apps they use most. Meta’s effort may not stop every scheme, but it gives people clearer ways to recognize and avoid them… and that remains a step in the right direction.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
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References
- ^ Meta is adding (about.fb.com)
- ^ OpenAI Steps Into the Browser Wars With ChatGPT Atlas (www.digitalinformationworld.com)