The account deletions are part of wider company efforts to crack down on scams, WhatsApp parent Meta said, including new security tools.

WhatsApp has removed 6.8 million scam-linked accounts in a global crackdown, Meta announced. New WhatsApp safety tools are rolling out, including alerts when unknown users add someone to a group. Scams are growing more complex, often using multiple platforms and AI tools to trick users.

Many of the accounts were linked to criminal groups operating in South East Asia, the social media giant said.