In a significant update, Meta has introudced improved security alerts inside both WhatsApp and Messenger, particularly designed to protect elderly individuals who usually become prey to online scams.
Instead of concealing safety tips in help pages, the Menlo-park based giant has incorporated warnings directly into conversations.
On WhatsApp, users have received a bright alert when they try to share their screen with someone outside their contacts or with reduced chat history, a setup for fraudsters posing as bank or tech support.
Screen-sharing scams are increasingly becoming a major way to steal account details and access banking apps.
Messenger’s system uses cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) to detect suspicious behaviour such as pressure to transfer payments and make fake investment offers, or unsolicited tech support messages.
To prevent these scams, Meta has issued warnings to the users who are “at risk of losing money,” with quick options to report and block.
Meta claimed it disrupted millions of scam-related accounts in 2025, arguing that traditional education fails to stop scams in real time. The new approach treats fraud prevention as a design issue.
While Meta addresses limits like alert fatigue and imperfect detection, the update indicates a shift from passive advice to real-time protection, assisting elderly individuals avoid financial loss.
