DAYTON — Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is launching new tools to combat scams on its platforms after users lost nearly $3 billion to social media scams in the past year and a half, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
With over 3 billion users worldwide, Meta’s platforms are prime targets for scammers. The company has detected and disrupted close to 8 million scam-related accounts this year alone. To further protect users, Meta is introducing alerts that warn users of potentially scammy messages and offers AI recommendations on whether a message might be a scam.
“If you are receiving a message that we believe is scammy, there will be an alert that pops up and warns you,” said Daniel Roberts, Public Affairs Lead at Meta. “And you can also have the option to share with AI that will actually give you a recommendation on whether or not they believe it is a scam.”
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Meta is not only focusing on tools but also on educating users to recognize scams. “It’s very important to not only have tools and products in place, but to make sure the users online can spot things that could potentially hurt them in the long run,” Roberts emphasized.
To protect vulnerable populations, Meta is partnering with the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center. This initiative aims to safeguard seniors, who, according to the FBI Internet Crime Report, lost a combined $4.8 billion last year.
Roberts highlighted the importance of this partnership, stating, “They are the experts. They know how to communicate to this population. They know how to make sure that the tools and tips that we’re sharing are relevant, and they are going to be able to allow us to communicate in a way that is efficient and effectively.”
As Meta rolls out these new tools and educational initiatives, the company aims to significantly reduce the number of scams on its platforms, providing a safer environment for all users. The collaboration with the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center underscores Meta’s commitment to protecting its most vulnerable users.
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