Meta rolls out scam warnings on Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp

We've long seen a problem with fraud on Facebook and Instagram. Now the company behind both social networks appears to be going on the offensive against scammers — by announcing a sweeping slate of new AI-powered tools and law enforcement partnerships.

Meta says it removed over 159 million scam ads in 2025, and took down 10.9 million accounts on Facebook and Instagram tied to criminal scams. The company also participated in a disruption operation with the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the Royal Thai Police, resulting in the disabling of more than 150,000 accounts and 21 arrests.

The new tools rolling out across Meta's apps include real-time warnings on Facebook about suspicious friend requests, a WhatsApp alert system that flags potentially fraudulent device-linking attempts, and an expanded Messenger scam-detection feature that uses AI to analyze chat patterns and warn users before they get defrauded.

No new protections were announced for Instagram, which has also seen widespread security problems — most recently a spate of password reset emails.

Meta also says it plans to require advertiser verification across its highest-risk ad categories. Its goal: to have verified advertisers drive 90% of ad revenue by the end of 2026, up from 70% today.

The announcement comes as Meta faces fire on another front. CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand in a Los Angeles courtroom this week to defend the company against allegations that its platforms are engineered to hook children for profit.

Depending on where you're standing, Tuesday's announcement could read as a genuine safety push — or well-timed reputation management.