Meta, international cops use handcuffs and AI to stop scammers

Not every scam starts with malware or a compromised account. Sometimes all it takes is a friend request or a link shared via chat.

Meta, in an effort to protect people from fraudsters, added anti-scam tools to WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger, including device linking warnings on WhatsApp and alerts for suspicious friend requests on Facebook, the social media giant said on Wednesday.

Plus, in a joint effort with law enforcement, international cops disrupted major scam centers targeting victims around the globe and arrested 21 alleged fraudsters, while Meta disabled more than 150,000 social media accounts linked to scam center networks.

As part of the tech company's fraud crackdown, WhatsApp, we're told, will now alert users when behavioral signals suggest a device-linking request may be an attempt to link a scammer's device to the user's account.

"For example, they may urge you to share your phone ...