On October 21, 2025, Meta announced new scam detection features for WhatsApp and Messenger aimed at protecting older adults. WhatsApp now warns users when they attempt to share their screen with unknown contacts during calls—a common tactic to steal banking details and one-time passcodes. Messenger is testing AI-powered scam detection that flags suspicious messages and prompts users to block or report. Meta says it disrupted 8 million scam accounts in the first half of 2025 and removed over 21,000 fake customer support pages.

Dario Betti, CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum, puts the announcement in context: the FBI reports Americans aged 60+ lost nearly $5 billion to internet fraud in 2024—up 43% year-over-year. The FTC recorded $12.5 billion in total fraud losses, with median losses rising sharply with age. Adjusting for underreporting, older Americans may have lost as much as $61.5 billion in 2023 alone.

Meta's warnings are a step forward, but scammers adapt quickly. The mobile ecosystem must move from "advise and alert" to "predict and prevent"—with transaction-aware safeguards, stronger friction for first-contact scenarios, verified sender frameworks, and coordinated action across platforms, banks, and operators.

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Key topics: Meta, WhatsApp, Messenger, elder fraud, scam detection, tech support scams, investment scams, romance scams, FBI IC3, FTC fraud data, mobile ecosystem, financial protection, AI moderation