Meta fights back: New tools and tricks to outsmart the scam squad

Meta has rolled out a series of new tools, tips, and partnerships aimed at helping users worldwide combat the prevalence of online investment and payment scams. As these scams grow in sophistication, Meta's initiative offers proactive measures to disrupt scam networks and protect users.

In-app scam alerts on Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook

Meta has introduced in-app scam alerts across Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook. These alerts warn users about risky interactions, such as requests for payment before receiving an item or signs of suspicious behaviour. This feature is designed to help users quickly identify and avoid potential scams.

Tools for privacy and account safety

To enhance user security, Meta offers a Privacy Check-Up feature on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. This allows users to manage who can contact them, who sees their information, and limit exposure to unknown individuals—commonly exploited by scammers to initiate contact.

Instant payment scams get new visibility

Meta is raising awareness about prevalent instant payment scams. Users are cautioned against advance payments for goods that may never arrive, especially when using reselling platforms. Additionally, they should be wary of overpayment and refund scams whereby online sellers use fake receipts and charge reversals to deceive buyers.

Ai-powered facial recognition tools roll out

Meta has begun implementing AI-driven facial recognition technology to identify and eliminate celeb-bait scams. This includes a video selfie verification feature to facilitate quicker account recovery, enhancing overall user security against fraudulent activities.

Moreover, Meta has collaborated with open-source researchers at Graphika to detect and disrupt investment scams globally. A significant example highlighted was in South Africa, where scammers created fake Facebook and TikTok accounts, posing as employees or investment coaches from well-known cryptocurrency platforms. They lured potential victims with false promises and manipulated content to showcase supposed profits.

Through partnerships and initiatives like the Tech Against Scams Coalition (TASC) and the Llama Defenders Program, Meta is enhancing its efforts to combat fraud, phishing, and scams, offering partners early access to AI tools designed to support these initiatives.

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