WhatsApp is testing a new Scam Alert feature on Android that can warn users when an incoming message from an unknown contact looks suspicious.
The feature is currently available only to a limited number of WhatsApp beta testers on Android, so it should not be treated as a general public rollout yet.
Meta first detailed the technology behind Scam Alert in an official engineering post, explaining that the system uses an on-device machine-learning model to identify patterns associated with scam conversations while keeping message classification on the phone.
More recently, WABetaInfo reported that select Android beta users have started receiving the feature.
What Is WhatsApp Scam Alert?
Scam Alert is an optional security feature designed specifically for suspicious messages from people who are not already saved as contacts.
Once enabled, WhatsApp downloads a machine-learning model to the phone.
When a message arrives from an unknown sender, the model can analyse it locally for patterns that may indicate a scam.
If the system believes the conversation could be suspicious, WhatsApp displays a warning inside the chat.
Meta says the feature is intended to provide additional information rather than automatically decide whether a person is a scammer.
The final decision remains with the user.
What Does the Warning Look Like?
When Scam Alert identifies a potentially suspicious message, WhatsApp can display a warning saying that the conversation may be a scam.
What Does the Warning Look Like?According to WABetaInfo’s beta testing report, users are then given several options.
They can:
Block the sender
Report the conversation to WhatsApp
Continue the conversation
Mark the chat as trusted if the warning is incorrect
The person who sent the message does not see the Scam Alert warning.
That means WhatsApp can warn the recipient without notifying the other side that the conversation has been flagged.
Your Messages Are Analysed on the Phone
Privacy is probably the most important part of the feature.
Meta says Scam Alert performs the initial scam detection on the user’s device.
In its technical explanation of Scam Alert, Meta says message content does not leave the device for classification and is not automatically sent to WhatsApp, Meta or another third party.
That allows the feature to work alongside WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption.
The machine-learning model looks for conversational and linguistic patterns associated with scams rather than sending every message to a cloud server for analysis.
This distinction is important because scam detection can otherwise raise understandable concerns about whether a messaging service is reading private chats.
How Does WhatsApp Know What a Scam Looks Like?
The on-device model has been trained using patterns found in scam conversations that users previously chose to report to WhatsApp.
That does not mean the system has a fixed list of specific phrases.
Instead, it attempts to recognise broader characteristics of suspicious conversations.
Scammers may use tactics such as:
Creating unnecessary urgency
Impersonating companies or trusted people
Asking for sensitive information
Encouraging unusual payments
Sending suspicious links
Moving quickly from an unexpected introduction to a financial request
The model then makes a probabilistic decision about whether an incoming conversation resembles known scam behaviour.
That also means the system will not be perfect.
Legitimate messages could occasionally be flagged, while sophisticated scams could potentially escape detection.
You Can Mark a Chat as Trusted
WhatsApp gives users a way to handle false positives.
If the app flags a legitimate conversation, the user can mark that chat as trusted.
Once trusted, Scam Alert will stop flagging that particular conversation.
Meta says users who mark a warning as incorrect may also be offered the option to voluntarily share the last five received messages with WhatsApp to help improve detection.
That sharing is optional.
If the user does not choose to send those messages, the conversation remains on the device.
Scam Alert Is Disabled by Default
Another important detail is that the feature is optional.
Meta says users remain in control and can turn Scam Alert on or off.
WABetaInfo reports that beta testers who have received the feature can enable it from WhatsApp’s account settings. (WABetaInfo)
Once enabled, it focuses on incoming conversations from unknown contacts rather than continuously flagging ordinary chats with saved contacts.
Users can disable it again at any time.
Which WhatsApp Version Has Scam Alert?
The feature has been spotted among users of WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.34.1, according to Gadgets 360.
Which WhatsApp Version Has Scam Alert?WABetaInfo also lists version 2.26.34.2 as compatible with the limited rollout. (WABetaInfo)
The important point is that installing one of these beta versions does not guarantee access.
WhatsApp often enables new features server-side for a limited group of accounts.
Two users can therefore run the same app version while only one sees Scam Alert.
Do Not Install Unofficial APKs Just to Get It
Users who do not currently have Scam Alert should avoid downloading modified or unofficial WhatsApp APKs in an attempt to force access.
A beta feature is not worth weakening account security.
WhatsApp is also separately developing additional warnings around unofficial clients, including alerts for users connecting accounts through unofficial WhatsApp Web software, according to WABetaInfo.
The safest option is to use the official WhatsApp app distributed through the Google Play Store and wait for the feature to reach your account.
Is Scam Alert Available to Everyone?
No.
As of now, Scam Alert is still in a limited Android beta rollout.
Meta’s engineering announcement describes it as an early feature being tested before wider availability, while WABetaInfo says only some beta accounts currently have access.
WhatsApp has not announced a date for a broad stable rollout.
An iOS version is also expected later, but there is no confirmed public release schedule yet.
Will Scam Alert Stop Every WhatsApp Scam?
No security feature can guarantee that.
Scam Alert should be treated as an additional warning layer rather than a replacement for basic caution.
Users should still be suspicious when an unknown contact:
Requests money unexpectedly
Asks for OTPs or verification codes
Claims an account will be closed immediately
Offers an unrealistic prize or investment return
Requests sensitive banking information
Sends unfamiliar links
Even if Scam Alert does not display a warning, users should independently verify suspicious requests before sending money or personal information.
Why This Feature Matters in India
WhatsApp is deeply integrated into everyday communication in India, including family chats, small businesses, shopping, banking notifications and customer support.
That also makes the platform attractive to scammers.
A warning that appears before a user acts on a suspicious message could be useful, particularly for people who are less familiar with phishing and social-engineering tactics.
The fact that detection happens on-device is also important because it allows WhatsApp to add automated warnings without abandoning the privacy model users expect from end-to-end encrypted chats.
Final Thoughts
WhatsApp’s Scam Alert could become a useful additional defence against suspicious messages from unknown contacts.
Its strongest feature is not simply that it uses AI or machine learning.
It is that WhatsApp says the initial analysis happens on the device, with no automatic upload of private message content for classification.
Users remain in control of what happens next: they can block the sender, report the chat, continue the conversation or mark it as trusted.
For now, however, Scam Alert remains a limited Android beta feature.
If you do not see it on your phone yet, the safest move is to keep WhatsApp updated through the Play Store and wait for an official rollout rather than installing unofficial versions of the app.