Meta is rolling out Scam Alert, an optional feature that uses on-device machine learning to detect suspicious messages on WhatsApp. The tool joins existing scam detection for device linking requests.
The feature, currently in limited beta, analyzes incoming messages and displays a warning to users when it identifies likely scam attempts. Importantly, the alert only appears to the recipient—the sender cannot see the warning.
Meta's approach relies on on-device processing, meaning the screening happens locally without sending message content to Meta's servers. This addresses privacy concerns while maintaining detection capability.
Users flagged by the system can take action directly from the chat, though Meta did not specify what options are available beyond viewing the warning.
The launch follows Meta's earlier rollout of scam detection for WhatsApp device linking requests, expanding the company's safety toolkit. The feature is optional, allowing users to enable or disable it based on preference.
WhatsApp has long been a target for fraudsters exploiting its large user base and encrypted messaging. This AI-powered screening represents Meta's latest effort to balance security with privacy on its messaging platform.
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