Meta rolls out AI‑driven anti‑fraud tools for WhatsApp as data‑privacy questions rise

Meta announced a suite of new security features for WhatsApp, Facebook and Messenger that use AI to warn users about suspicious QR‑code scans, flag fake job offers, mark unsafe friend requests and block other phishing tactics. The update also allows two WhatsApp accounts on a single device and adds direct backup management in Android settings.

The launch arrives amid legal scrutiny in Germany over Meta’s data‑collection practices, including a potential lawsuit tied to false statements about Elon Musk broadcast by ZDF. Meta is also engaged in a court battle with Israeli spyware firm NSO Group over alleged breaches of a U.S. injunction.

The new tools aim to counter international phishing campaigns that have targeted travelers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Singapore, as well as a local water‑utility scam affecting users in Hyderabad, India.