Weird friend requests on Facebook? Meta will warn users more often

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has introduced a new set of tools to help protect users against scams.

“Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics, and so are we. Every day, criminals use increasingly sophisticated measures to defraud people on our platforms and across the internet,” Meta wrote in a blog post that was published on Wednesday.

Scammers are known for using deceptive tactics to trick users and evade detection by traditional security systems, including impersonating celebrities or brands and distributing malicious URLs.

Meta’s team of experts has now built new tools to alert users before they engage with fraudsters. The company is currently testing new warnings on Facebook to help users avoid suspicious accounts.

When users send or receive a request from an account that shows certain signs of suspicious activity, like having no mutual friends or living in distinct countries, they’ll see an alert that helps them to decide whether to block or accept the friendship request.

In addition, when someone tries to trick a user into linking their WhatsApp account to their device, Meta will send a warning. These alerts show users where the request is coming from and warn them that the linking request could be a scam.

Lastly, Meta will expand its scam detection technology on Messenger to more countries later this month.

“Our global work to protect people against scammers is never done. We will continue to invest in new technologies, share updates on our progress on enforcement, and collaborate with partners to ensure a safer experience for everyone across our platforms,” Meta concluded its blog post.

In 2025, Meta removed 159 million scam ads for violating the company’s policies. Additionally, the tech company took down 10.9 million accounts on Facebook and Instagram that were associated with criminal scam centers.

A Dutch advocacy group recently accused Meta of turning a blind eye as scam ads keep circulating on Meta’s platforms.

“Meta shows no improvement whatsoever, which is worrisome. If the tech giant had taken responsibility, it could have prevented a lot of fraud,” Sandra Molenaar, Director of the Consumentenbond, said in a statement.

Unlock more exclusive Cybernews content on YouTube.