Facebook and Messenger will now warn users about suspicious accounts, while WhatsApp will flag potentially harmful device linking.
Meta has introduced new tools to help you avoid common scams on WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger.
On Facebook, Meta will warn you about suspicious friend requests. These notifications will pop up when Facebook detects potential red flags, such as few or no mutual friends or if the person lives in a different country. A screenshot shared by Meta also shows that the warning will mention when the account was created.
On WhatsApp, the company is introducing a warning to protect you against harmful device linking. Scammers may trick you into scanning a fake QR code by posing as organizers behind a talent competition and asking you to vote for your favorite contestant, Meta says.
To protect against this scam, WhatsApp will now raise an alert when it suspects you are linking to a malicious device. It will note the link’s location and ask you to consider whether it’s worth proceeding.
Finally, Meta will expand Messenger’s message safety tool to more users this month. The feature, announced in October, uses on-device technology to scan messages and alert you about some common signs of fraud. If you receive the alert for a chat you don’t trust, you can send the messages for AI review. If Meta deems the messages may indeed be fraudulent, it will suggest blocking or reporting the account.
If you don’t want Messenger to proactively look for scams in your messages, you can disable the feature by going to Settings> Privacy & Safety Settings > Scam Detection.
This is also a good time to note that starting in April, Messenger will only be available through its Android and iOS apps. The dedicated website is shutting down next month, while the desktop apps were discontinued last year.
Meta also notes that it is taking strict action against phony and deceptive ads. In 2025. it took down 159 million scam ads and 10.9 million Facebook and Instagram accounts associated with criminal scam groups.
