How to Stay Safe From Online Scams: Meta Shares New Tools and Tips

People aged 60 and above in the U.S. reportedly lost a combined $4.8 billion to fraud in 2024. Scammers often exploit trust and, in some cases, gain access to victims' online accounts to target their friends and family with additional scams.

Now, Meta has introduced new product tools and shared tips to help older adults keep their accounts secure and stay safe from common online scams. Let's dive into the details.

Online Scams That Targeting Older Adults

Meta has partnered with open-source researchers at Graphika to find and disrupt scams targeting older adults across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

• Scammers have reportedly created fake websites claiming to offer government benefits like debt relief or free home renovations.
• They impersonated the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to trick victims into "recovering" lost funds, including from crypto scams.
• They even set up fake customer service accounts and Facebook pages posing as airlines, banks, and travel agencies.

Tips for Older from Staying Safe From Scams

• Don't share personal or financial details like Social Security numbers or account numbers in response to unexpected calls, emails, or texts.
• Scammers often create a false sense of urgency or panic. So, if someone pressures you to act quickly or keep things secret, you should talk to someone from your family before responding them.
• If you need help, always call the company's official hotline or go to their website to find their contact info. Don't click any links in emails or texts, and avoid posting complaints on public forums.

Meta Introduces New Anti-Scam Tools

• Meta has introduced warnings for WhatsApp when people attempt to share their screen with an unknown user during a video call.
• Meta is testing advanced scam detection on Messenger. When enabled, it alerts users about suspicious messages from new contacts and offers the option to send chats for AI scam review. If a scam is detected, users will receive details about common scams and suggestions to block or report the account.
• You can also set up passkeys on Meta-owned social media platforms to make it safer to sign in with the same fingerprint, face, or PIN you already use on your mobile.

Via