WhatsApp announced that it blocked 6.8 million accounts linked to fraud in the first half of 2025. Many of these accounts were connected to criminal groups in Southeast Asia, which used forced labor to lure people into fake investment schemes. Scammers typically sent SMS messages to users, deceived them through messaging apps, and extracted money via payment platforms.
The platform introduced new security measures — for example, if a user is added to a group by someone not in their contact list, a special warning appears.
WhatsApp said it actively cooperated with its parent company Meta in fighting fraud and also worked with the developer of ChatGPT in this area. According to them, the accounts were identified and removed before they could become operational.
Fraud centers are usually located in countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand, where people are lured with false job promises and then forced into scam operations. Local authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant.
Officials advise users to carefully review group invitations from unknown sources and to be wary of offers that require upfront payments.
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