More than 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts linked and connected to scammers targeting people worldwide were removed and organisations operating cryptocurrency fraud schemes also referred to as “pig butchering” have been terminated by Meta.
Typically, these frauds start with a stranger’s message before moving on to private chats. Building trust and persuading consumers to contribute money often in cryptocurrency to phoney businesses or trading platforms is the goal.
The accounts were deleted before the scams could start, according to a press release from Meta on August 5. To prevent the accounts from being exploited in fraud, the company’s security teams closed them down after spotting suspicious behaviour.
The social media giant claimed that the accounts many were connected to fraud centres operated where activities in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and South East Asian organised crime groups, where authorities have documented organised gangs conducting extensive internet frauds that target individuals from many nations, who frequently employed forced labour in their activities.
As WhatsApp introduced new anti-scam features by adding additional features to warn users by avoiding possible fraudulent activities in addition to these deletions, like a user being invited to a group chat by someone who isn’t on their contacts list, Meta made the announcement. If they are added to a group by unidentified people, a new update will issue a warning. Scammers frequently use this technique to promote phoney investment proposals.
The crackdown targets an increasingly prevalent practice used by crooks to promote phoney investment programs and other scams by hijacking WhatsApp accounts or adding individuals to group discussions.
Meta stated that WhatsApp “proactively detected and took down accounts before scam centres were able to operationalise them.”
In one instance, WhatsApp collaborated with Meta and ChatGPT developer OpenAI to thwart scams associated with a criminal organisation from Cambodia that promoted a phoney rent-a-scooter pyramid scheme by offering money in exchange for likes on social media posts. The con artists wrote messages and led victims through fictitious instructions using ChatGPT. Additionally, they deceived people by offering them easy money in exchange for social media chores.
It claimed that scammers had created the instructions sent to possible victims using ChatGPT.
According to Meta, scammers usually text prospective victims before transferring the conversation to private messaging apps or social media.
It further stated that these scams were typically carried out on bitcoin or payment sites.
“There is always a catch and it should be a red flag for everyone: you have to pay upfront to get promised returns or earnings.”
While applauding the news, the UK consumer rights group Which? stated that “Meta must do much more to stop these criminals across all its platforms.”
“Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp users are being bombarded with fraudulent advertisements for everything from phoney investment opportunities to dubious products and nonexistent job offers,” Lisa Webb, a consumer protection expert, continued.
“Meta needs to ensure that scams are prevented from ever appearing on its platforms in the first place.”
“Meta must make sure that frauds don’t ever emerge on its platforms in the first place. In order to make IT companies fully accountable for the content on their websites, Ofcom must now act to enforce the provisions of the Online Safety Act that are currently in place and to establish strict guidelines governing fraudulent paid advertisements.
Additionally, it is well known that these centres recruit individuals who are subsequently coerced into committing the scams.
Meta just switched from virtual reality to artificial intelligence, and it is spending billions to help with this change.
To help prevent their accounts from being compromised, authorities in the area have advised citizens to be cautious of possible fraud and to use anti-scam tools like WhatsApp’s two-step verification feature.
For instance, police in Singapore have advised users to be cautious about any odd requests they get on messaging apps.
Meta has decided to focus on artificial intelligence (AI) instead of virtual reality, and it is spending billions to help with this change.
The corporation invested $17 billion in new infrastructure during the second quarter of 2025. Chief Financial Officer Susan Li said that figure might rise to $72 billion by the end of 2025. In 2026, the investments are anticipated to increase even further.
The construction of the massive computer systems Prometheus and Hyperion will account for a considerable portion of this expenditure.
Prometheus, which could be the first data centre with more than one gigawatt of power, is anticipated to go online in 2026. With the potential to grow to five gigawatts in the upcoming years, Hyperion will be even bigger.
During the company’s earnings call, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, discussed the company’s AI initiatives. He emphasised the potential of superintelligent AI to help people live more purposeful lives, even as he expressed optimism about its effects on science and the economy.
On July 30, Zuckerberg also wrote a blog post outlining his objective of developing a personal AI that can comprehend users and assist them in achieving their objectives.
Meta wants the advantages of this technology to be accessible to everyone, he wrote. He did, however, also stress the importance of exercising caution while managing risks and considering what information should or shouldn’t be shared with the public.
Recently, Zuckerberg established Meta Superintelligence Labs, a new research team headed by Nat Friedman and Alexandr Wang.
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