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You’re in the middle of your day when your phone buzzes. Suddenly, you’ve been added to a WhatsApp group with a strange name like ‘Crypto Deals 2025’ or ‘Online Work Offers’. You have no idea who added you, and before you can even process what’s going on, the messages start rolling in.

Sound familiar?

This exact scenario is what WhatsApp is now trying to stop, with a new feature called Safety Overview.

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Now, if someone who isn’t saved in your contacts tries to add you to a group, you won’t be added straight away. Instead, you’ll see a screen that tells you who invited you, when the group was created, and how many members it has. If anything feels off, you can quietly exit the group without having to open the chat or deal with so many notifications.

Scam groups have been on the rise. In the first half of 2025 alone, WhatsApp removed over 6.8 million accounts linked to scams. Many were tied to organised groups pretending to offer jobs, investment deals, or tasks that promised quick money—only to trick people into sending cash and then just disappear without a trace.

WhatsApp is also testing out another handy feature. If someone who is not in your contacts messages you, you’ll now see more details about them, such as their profile picture, name (if public), and even where the message might be coming from. It’s a small nudge to help you pause and think before responding to someone unfamiliar.

“We’re rolling out new tools to help people spot scams and stay safe while messaging. We also took down over 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts linked to criminal scam centres targeting people across the internet and around the world,” WhatsApp said in a recent announcement.

They are also encouraging users to follow a simple three-step approach: Pause. Question. Verify.

It’s simple: don’t rush. Take a moment to think. Does this message seem legitimate? Does the sender claim to be a friend or family member? If so, try giving them a call to double-check.

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This is also a great time to review your WhatsApp privacy settings. You can decide who’s allowed to add you to groups. This will instantly reduce your risk of getting pulled into random chats. Turning on two-step verification also adds an extra layer of security.

Remember, if something feels off, you have to trust your instinct. Block. Report. Leave.

That small action could save you a lot of trouble later.