Overview

• Meta deactivated 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts linked to organized fraud networks during the first half of 2025, most traced to Southeast Asia.
• New in-app alerts notify users when unknown contacts add them to groups and warn before messaging numbers not saved in their address book.
• Spain’s Guardia Civil issued a warning about a ‘‘six-digit scam’’ in which fraudsters impersonate support staff to steal verification codes and hijack accounts.
• Mexican cyber police and Mexico City security authorities issued alerts about voicemail hijack attacks exploiting default mailbox PINs and advised users to change their voicemail passwords.
• Global law enforcement agencies are urging WhatsApp users to enable two-step verification, never share verification codes and avoid clicking on suspicious links.