WhatsApp is reportedly developing a new security feature designed to help users make safer decisions before interacting with unknown contacts. The upcoming tool will display a warning screen whenever someone starts a conversation with a phone number they have never communicated with before, giving users additional context that could help them identify suspicious accounts.

The feature is expected to strengthen WhatsApp's efforts to combat online scams, impersonation attempts, and fraudulent messages that have become increasingly common on messaging platforms.

New Warning Screen Before Starting a Chat

According to reports, WhatsApp is testing a feature that will automatically display a security prompt before a user begins chatting with an unfamiliar phone number.

Instead of immediately opening the conversation, the app will first present useful information about the contact, allowing users to evaluate whether the person appears legitimate before responding.

The goal is to encourage users to verify the identity of unknown contacts and reduce the chances of falling victim to scams.

What Information Will Be Displayed?

The warning screen is expected to provide several details that can help users assess the authenticity of the number.

The information may include:

• The country where the phone number is registered.
• Whether the number is already saved in the user's contacts.
• Whether both users are members of any common WhatsApp groups.

Using these details, users can make a more informed decision about whether they should continue the conversation or ignore the message.

After reviewing the information, users will have the option to either proceed with the chat or exit without responding.

Importantly, choosing not to continue the conversation will remain completely private. The other person will not receive any notification indicating that a warning screen was shown or that the user decided not to engage.

Designed to Reduce Online Fraud

Cybercriminals frequently contact victims through unknown phone numbers while pretending to be friends, relatives, colleagues, or customer support representatives. In many cases, scammers claim they are using a new phone number and attempt to convince users to continue the conversation before revealing fraudulent requests.

WhatsApp's upcoming feature aims to interrupt this process by encouraging users to pause and review important information before replying.

By providing additional context at the start of a conversation, the company hopes users will be less likely to engage with suspicious contacts without verifying their identity.

Will Every Unknown Number Trigger the Alert?

Reports suggest that the warning screen may not appear in every situation.

For example, if the phone number is already saved in the user's contact list, WhatsApp may allow the conversation to open normally without displaying the security prompt.

Similarly, receiving a warning does not automatically mean that the sender is a scammer. Many legitimate conversations also begin with previously unknown numbers, including business inquiries, delivery services, recruiters, healthcare providers, or new personal contacts.

For this reason, users are encouraged to carefully review the available information instead of making assumptions based solely on the warning.

Expected Availability

The feature is reportedly being developed for both Android and iPhone versions of WhatsApp.

Although reports indicate that testing is underway, WhatsApp has not officially announced a public release date or shared complete details about how the feature will work in every scenario.

As with many WhatsApp updates, the rollout is expected to happen gradually after testing is completed.

Part of WhatsApp's Growing Focus on User Safety

The new warning system reflects WhatsApp's continued investment in strengthening user security. Over the past few years, the platform has introduced several privacy-focused features, including end-to-end encryption, chat locks, disappearing messages, and enhanced account verification tools.

Adding contextual information before conversations with unknown numbers could become another useful layer of protection, especially as online fraud continues to evolve.

Final Takeaway

If introduced widely, WhatsApp's upcoming warning feature could make it easier for users to identify potentially suspicious contacts before starting a conversation. By displaying details such as country registration, contact status, and shared groups, the messaging platform aims to give users more confidence when deciding whether to trust an unfamiliar number.

While the feature cannot eliminate scams entirely, it may significantly reduce the likelihood of users responding to fraudulent messages without verifying the sender first. Users should continue following safe online practices and remain cautious when receiving unexpected messages, even after the new feature becomes available.