Goal is working on a new scam detection feature for WhatsApp called Scam Alert. This tool is designed to detect potentially fraudulent messages from unknown senders while preserving end-to-end encryption and without transmitting the message content to any server.
The feature was recently observed in a beta version of WhatsApp for Android by WABetaInfo. There is no release date announced and the feature is still in development and not yet available to all users.
How the new WhatsApp scam alert feature works
Scam Alert works completely on your device. WhatsApp does not send messages to external servers for analysis. The system checks incoming messages from contacts that are not saved in your address book and displays a warning within the chat if it detects possible fraudulent activity.
The method is similar to the existing voice transcription feature in WhatsApp, which also works completely on the device without sending audio files to the servers.
When Scam Alert detects a possible scam, a warning appears directly in the chat. Users have full control and can choose to block and report the contact or dismiss the warning and continue the conversation. The feature does not block communication with unknown contacts.
Local logs are created on your device to record when Scam Alert flags potential fraudulent activity. These logs remain stored locally and are not sent anywhere else.
Default settings, privacy guarantees, and why scam alerts are important to users
According to WABetaInfo, Scam Alert will be disabled by default, meaning users must choose to turn it on. This allows users who do not want any message scanning to continue unaffected, even on their device.
Since scanning is performed locally and messages remain end-to-end encrypted, Meta does not have access to the message content through this feature.
Fraudulent WhatsApp messages from unknown numbers posing as banks, government agencies or delivery services remain a common problem.
Currently, protections depend on users recognizing spam and manually reporting it. Adding an automated warning system that detects suspicious patterns before the user responds would provide an additional layer of security, especially for those less familiar with typical scam tactics.
