Overview
- The feature is rolling out to Android and iOS users and shows a warning screen before a user opens a conversation with a number they have not previously messaged.
- The pre-chat screen displays the phone number’s registered country, whether the number is saved in your contacts, and any WhatsApp groups you share so users can pause and verify.
- WhatsApp already deployed a separate device-linking scam warning that flags suspicious attempts to add a new device by showing location and what the device could access.
- WhatsApp has not published the exact signals that trigger the pre-chat warning and it will not catch every scam, for example when a scammer’s number is already saved in a user’s contacts.
- The change aims to blunt social-engineering attacks that rely on quick user reactions by creating a moment to check details, and users should also enable two-step verification and review linked devices for stronger protection.