Meta is using AI to fight account hacks on Messenger 🛡️

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Many Messenger users have experienced account hacks—or at least attempted attacks. The growing wave of scams and account takeovers has raised concerns about the effectiveness of privacy safeguards designed by Mark Zuckerberg’s team. To address the surge in malicious activity, artificial intelligence is now becoming a key tool in Meta’s effort to better protect users.

Messenger strengthens its anti-hacking defenses with AI 🔍

Meta Platforms is rolling out new security measures to strengthen its protection systems. One of the first steps aimed at exposing hackers will rely on automated warning messages. From now on, Facebook Messenger will flag certain sensitive details whenever users receive a contact request.

For example, the app may indicate if the account attempting to connect has no friends or if its location appears inconsistent with the information listed on the profile. The goal is to help users quickly identify suspicious or fraudulent accounts.

Along the same lines, users will also be able to examine certain online interactions more closely. Job offers or financial opportunities shared through Messenger will receive additional scrutiny. Users can also directly select the “block” or “report” options in Messenger’s settings to alert the platform if they encounter suspicious accounts.

Filtering advertising 🔍

Another major focus is advertising oversight. By the end of 2026, nearly 90% of ads—up from about 70% today—could be reviewed using AI-powered tools.

The goal is to reduce scams and provide users with clearer signals about the reliability of products and services promoted on Messenger and other Meta platforms.

Today, the platform serves not only as a messaging tool but also as a powerful communication and commerce channel. Many small and medium-sized businesses rely on it to promote and sell their services and products. Improving ad verification has therefore become a strategic priority for Meta.

In 2025 alone, the platform removed 259 million advertisements considered fraudulent. Notably, 92% of those ads were detected before any user reports were filed.

Meta also removed 10.9 million Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to malicious activity.

Legal action and enforcement 🔬

According to Digital Trends,

“A joint operation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Royal Thai Police enabled Meta investigators to disable more than 150,000 accounts linked to scam platforms. The operation also resulted in 21 legal warrants.”

The new AI tools integrated into Facebook Messenger highlight Meta’s ongoing effort to improve service quality and strengthen user safety.

However, despite these technological advances, online threats continue to evolve—and scams remain a persistent challenge.

Do you think Meta can truly eliminate hacking and scams on Facebook Messenger?