The numbers are staggering and heartbreaking: Australian seniors lost nearly $100 million to scams in 2024 alone.
If you've ever wondered why your Facebook feed seems flooded with too-good-to-be-true investment opportunities or your WhatsApp keeps pinging with messages from 'long-lost relatives,' you're witnessing a digital crime wave that's specifically targeting older Australians.
But help is on the way. Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, has just announced powerful new anti-scam tools that could serve as your personal digital bodyguard. These aren't just minor updates—they're sophisticated weapons in the fight against fraudsters who've made social media their hunting ground of choice.
In this article
The scale of the problem hits close to home
Social media has become the top contact method for scam losses in Australia, with 7,724 reports leading to financial losses of $69.5 million in 2024. That's nearly $9,000 lost per reported incident.
Seniors aged 65 and over were the only age group to report increased scam losses in 2023, with total losses rising 13.3 per cent to over $120 million.
The situation has worsened dramatically in 2025. Social media scam reports increased by almost 50 per cent in the first four months of 2025, with overall losses jumping 30 per cent to $23.4 million. These aren't faceless statistics—they represent real Australians losing their life savings, retirement funds, and peace of mind.
'These swindlers are targeting victims through their phones, via email, social media, and in person'
WhatsApp's new screen-sharing shield
The first line of Meta's defence targets one of scammers' favourite tricks: convincing you to share your screen during a video call. This seemingly innocent request can be devastating. When you share your screen, the person on the other end can watch you enter banking passwords, view verification codes, or see sensitive personal information displayed on your device.
Meta discovered that scammers routinely pressure their targets to share screens as part of elaborate confidence tricks.
The new WhatsApp feature will display a clear warning whenever you attempt to share your screen with someone who isn't in your contacts. Think of it as a digital tap on the shoulder, reminding you that whatever appears on your screen—banking apps, text messages, emails—becomes visible to the other person.
This protection is particularly valuable for seniors, who are often targeted by scammers pretending to be tech support representatives, bank officials, or government workers who need to 'help' fix a problem on your device.
How screen-sharing scams work
Scammers typically call pretending to be from your bank, a tech company, or government agency.
They claim there's a security issue with your account or device that requires immediate attention.
They then guide you through downloading screen-sharing software or using built-in features, giving them full access to watch everything you do on your device.
Messenger's AI detective gets to work
The second tool is even more sophisticated: an AI-powered scam detection system for Messenger that acts like a digital detective, analyzing suspicious messages in real-time. When the system spots potential scam content, it alerts you and offers the option to send the conversation to Meta's AI for a more thorough review.
Here's how it works: The initial detection happens entirely on your device using advanced pattern recognition technology. Your messages remain fully encrypted during this first stage. If you choose to send the suspicious conversation for AI review, Meta can provide detailed information about common scam tactics and suggest actions like blocking or reporting the sender.
However, there's an important trade-off to understand. During that second phase—when you send messages for AI review—they lose their end-to-end encryption. Meta will be able to read those specific messages to analyze them for scam patterns.
Did you know?
What does this mean for you?
Think of it like this: Your messages normally travel in a locked briefcase that only you and the recipient can open. When you send messages for AI scam review, you're temporarily handing that briefcase to Meta's security team to check for dangerous content. While this reduces privacy, it significantly increases protection against sophisticated scams.
Taking control of your protection
When these features become available in Australia, you'll find the Messenger scam detection controls in a logical place: Settings > Privacy & Safety Settings > Scam Detection. You can enable or disable the feature at any time, giving you complete control over the balance between security and privacy.
The beauty of these tools lies in their simplicity. You don't need to become a cybersecurity expert or memorize complex warning signs. The technology works quietly in the background, alerting you only when something suspicious appears.
Protecting yourself from social media scams
- Never share your screen with unknown contacts
- Be suspicious of urgent requests involving money or personal information
- Take time to verify the identity of anyone asking for sensitive details
- Report suspicious messages using platform tools
- Contact your bank immediately if you suspect you've been compromised
The desktop messenger farewell
There's one change that might affect your daily routine: Meta is discontinuing the Messenger desktop apps for Windows and Mac on December 15th. If you currently use Messenger on your computer, you'll need to switch to the web version at messenger.com or use the mobile app on your phone or tablet.
While this might seem inconvenient, it actually consolidates scam protection efforts. The web and mobile versions will receive these new anti-scam features, ensuring you're protected regardless of how you access Messenger.
Australian resources at your fingertips
Investment scams alone cost older Australians $66.5 million in 2024. If you encounter suspicious activity online, Australia has excellent resources to help:
- Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au): Report scams and access the latest warnings
- National Anti-Scam Centre: Coordinates government and industry anti-scam efforts
- Your bank's fraud hotline: Most Australian banks have 24/7 scam reporting lines
In 2024, the National Anti-Scam Centre referred over 6,000 URLs to their takedown service, successfully removing 92 per cent of them and avoiding an estimated $36 million in losses.
Did you know?
Did you know?
Grant scams are becoming increasingly common on Facebook, where scammers take over trusted contacts' accounts and tell you you're eligible for government grants or financial incentives. Always verify these offers through official government websites before taking any action.
The bigger picture: Technology fighting back
Meta's new tools represent a significant escalation in the tech industry's fight against online fraud. Scammers are evolving faster than ever, using AI, deepfakes, and sophisticated impersonation tactics to target Australians across phone calls, emails, texts, and social media. It's encouraging to see major platforms deploying equally sophisticated defensive technology.
These aren't perfect solutions—no technology can eliminate all scams—but they're powerful additions to your digital safety toolkit. Combined with your own vigilance and knowledge of common scam tactics, they create multiple layers of protection against increasingly creative criminals.
The key is staying engaged and informed. Scammers succeed by exploiting confusion, urgency, and isolation. By understanding how these new tools work and staying connected with reliable information sources, you're already several steps ahead of their tactics.
What This Means For You
Have you noticed an increase in suspicious messages on social media lately? Or perhaps you've already encountered one of these new Meta security features? Share your experiences in the comments below—your story might help fellow readers stay one step ahead of the scammers.
Primary Source
https://au.pcmag.com/security/11380...et-you-ask-meta-ai-to-review-sketchy-requests
Australians better protected as reported scam losses fell by almost 26 per cent | National Anti-Scam Centre
Cited text: There were 7,724 reports about social media scams leading to financial loss in 2024 with overall losses of $69.5 million.
Excerpt: Social media has become the top contact method for scam losses in Australia, with 7,724 reports leading to financial losses of $69.5 million in 2024.
https://www.nasc.gov.au/news/austra...ported-scam-losses-fell-by-almost-26-per-cent
Scam Alert 2025: Biggest Threats Australians Must Know
Cited text: In 2023, Australians aged 65 and over were the only age group to report increased scam losses, with total losses rising 13.3 per cent to over $120 million.
Excerpt: Seniors aged 65 and over were the only age group to report increased scam losses in 2023, with total losses rising 13.3 per cent to over $120 million.
https://www.inslifeguard.com.au/scam-alert-the-top-threats-facing-australians-in-2025
National Anti-Scam Centre calls for stronger business role to disrupt scams | ACCC
Cited text: The number of people reporting financial loss to social media scams increased by almost 50 per cent to 3,336 (up from 2,232 in 2024) and overall losse...
Excerpt: Social media scam reports increased by almost 50 per cent in the first four months of 2025, with overall losses jumping 30 per cent to $23.4 million.
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-relea...s-for-stronger-business-role-to-disrupt-scams
Scam action working, but more needs to be done to protect older Australians. Call for trial of peer-support service for victims of online fraud and scams—COTA Australia
Cited text: The latest Scamwatch data for the full 2024 calendar year shows Australians aged 65 and over reported 62,147 scams with total losses of $99.6 million,...
Excerpt: Investment scams alone cost older Australians $66.5 million in 2024.
https://cota.org.au/news/scam-action-working-but-more-needs-to-be-done-to-protect-older-australians/
Australians better protected as reported scam losses fell by almost 26 per cent | National Anti-Scam Centre
Cited text: In 2024, the National Anti-Scam Centre referred more than 8,000 URLs for takedown, including 6,000 to the National Anti-Scam Centre takedown service a...
Excerpt: In 2024, the National Anti-Scam Centre referred over 6,000 URLs to their takedown service, successfully removing 92 per cent of them and avoiding an estimated $36 million in losses.
https://www.nasc.gov.au/news/austra...ported-scam-losses-fell-by-almost-26-per-cent
Scam Alert 2025: Biggest Threats Australians Must Know
Cited text: Scammers are evolving faster than ever, using AI, deepfakes, and sophisticated impersonation tactics to target Australians across phone calls, emails,...
Excerpt: Scammers are evolving faster than ever, using AI, deepfakes, and sophisticated impersonation tactics to target Australians across phone calls, emails, texts, and social media.
https://www.inslifeguard.com.au/scam-alert-the-top-threats-facing-australians-in-2025
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