WhatsApp Safety Features: Online fraud cases are constantly increasing, and cybercriminals are using innovative methods to defraud people. Sometimes they call posing as bank officials, sometimes as delivery agents, government employees, or company representatives. Their goal is to obtain OTPs, banking information, or other personal details. In response to these growing threats, WhatsApp has introduced several new security features that help users identify scams and keep their accounts secure.

Silence Unknown Callers: Get relief from unknown calls

WhatsApp's Silence Unknown Callers feature directly silences calls from numbers you haven't saved. This doesn't mean the call will disappear completely, but it will continue to appear in the Calls tab and notifications.

This feature helps eliminate suspicious repeated calls and allows users to check who tried to contact them later without any stress. This makes it easier to avoid the panic created by scammers.

Context Cards: Complete information about unknown numbers at a glance

When a message arrives from a new or unknown number, WhatsApp now displays additional information, including whether the person is in your contacts list, whether you both belong to any common groups, whether the number is from another country, and whether the account was recently created or old.

This information helps users quickly decide whether the other person is trustworthy. If something seems suspicious, they can block or report the message instead of responding.

Screen Share Warning

Many cybercriminals try to trick people into sharing their screens during video calls. Once the screen is shared, they can access banking apps, OTPs, or other sensitive information and exploit it. To mitigate this risk, WhatsApp now displays a warning message when a user attempts to share their screen with an unknown person. This subtle alert gives users a chance to reconsider and can prevent personal information from being leaked.

Device Linking Alerts

Cybercriminals often try to link your WhatsApp account to another device to gain access to your chats and information. WhatsApp now immediately notifies users of any such attempts. The notification also indicates the origin of the linking request. If the request appears suspicious, it can be immediately revoked, helping to prevent unauthorized access to your account.

Two-Step Verification

Two-Step Verification further strengthens the security of your WhatsApp account. Once this feature is activated, you must enter a unique six-digit PIN when re-verifying or resetting your account. Even if a scammer obtains your verification code, they will be unable to access your account without the PIN. Cybersecurity experts consider this one of the most effective methods of account security.

Security is also being strengthened amid increasing scams.

Cybercrimes like fake calls, phishing messages, and social engineering have become more common than ever. Scammers are constantly inventing new methods to trick people into making rash decisions. These WhatsApp security features not only enhance technical security but also raise user awareness.