WhatsApp bans 6.8M scam accounts, launches safety tool

A new report by the Wall Street Journal is warning people to think twice before trusting the'unsubscribe' option at the bottom of promotional emails. Scammers are working harder than ever to trick people online, but WhatsApp is hitting back in a big way. In the first half of 2025, WhatsApp removed more than 6.8 million accounts tied to global scam networks, many of them run by criminal groups and even forced labor camps in Southeast Asia. At the same time, the app is rolling out new tools to make it easier to spot scams and stay safe while messaging. These updates come as fraudsters increasingly use private messaging apps, dating platforms, social media and even AI tools like ChatGPT to run their schemes.