UK has become the epicentre of WhatsApp scams in Europe
The UK has become the epicentre of WhatsApp scams in Europe, with British consumers losing more money on the platform than in any other country.
Analysis compiled by Revolut revealed that in 2024, WhatsApp fraud accounted for 21 per cent of all reported scams in the UK, with victims losing an average of £2,437 per incident.
This is far higher than other social media platforms, like Facebook, where members lost an average of £478 per scam.
The findings showed how criminals are shifting their tactics to exploit WhatsApp’s perceived security.
While Facebook scams fell by 31 per cent in the second half of 2024, WhatsApp’s fraudulent activity surged 33 per cent.
Soaring Meta scam rates
Overall, 58 per cent of all scams worldwide originate from Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – all owned by Meta.
On the other hand, Google-owned platforms accounted for only 0.09 per cent of fraudulent cases, showing that big techs can combat financial crime if they take the right precautionary measures.
Two of the most financially damaging scams on WhatsApp were job fraud, accounting for 51 per cent of cases, and investment scams, that accounted for 38 per cent.
Woody Malouf, head of financial crime at Revolut, criticised Meta’s handling of the crisis.
He said: “The illusion of security on WhatsApp is being ruthlessly exploited by criminals. Many consumers wrongly assume that if someone has their number, they must be legitimate. Meta has a fundamental responsibility to protect its users, and their current approach is clearly failing.”
How big lenders are taking on fraud
Barclays has backed calls for tech companies to up their protection of consumers.
Purchase scams, where scammers trick shoppers into paying for a fake or non-existent item, surged last year, according to a report from Barclays.
The findings, published in March 2025, revealed the average purchase scam claim increased by £250 year-on-year, as scammers lured consumers into buying higher value products.
Kirsty Adams, fraud and scams expert at Barclays, said: “We urge people to take their time when making purchases and to remember the timeless mantra – ‘if it looks too good to be true, it probably is’. No bargain is worth the risk of being scammed.
“The big tech firms must take more action to prevent scams from taking place on their platforms. We continue to work collaboratively with these companies and the government to stop scammers in their tracks”.
Many of Britain’s banking giants have begun to leverage AI in their fight against fraud and scams.
FTSE 100 giant Natwest announced last week it had entered a partnership with OpenAI and would use the firm’s latest tech to identify, report and resolve fraud and scams.
This followed on from rival Lloyds, which launched its ‘AI Centre for Excellence’ last year with former Amazon executive Rohit Dhawan at the helm.
The centre put fraud prevention at the forefront of its efforts and said integrating AI and analytics would help detect early warning signs of fraud.
Calls for Meta to share responsibility
Following the introduction of the Authorised Push Payment reimbursement scheme in 2024, lenders bear much of the brunt of scam compensations.
This regulation, introduced by the now-axed Payment Systems Regulator, mandated that sending and receiving payment service providers share the cost of reimbursements.
Revolut has urged Meta to take financial responsibility for scam victims by contributing to reimbursement schemes.
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) have both emphasised the need for social media platforms to play a bigger role in preventing fraud.