WhatsApp rolling out feature that stops scammers from adding you to groups

FILE PHOTO: A man poses with a smartphone in front of displayed Whatsapp logo in this illustration September 14, 2017. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File photo

Popular messaging platform WhatsApp is rolling out a new update that will allow users to block others from adding them into groups automatically.

Users will be given three options – Everyone, My Contacts and Nobody. If you choose Nobody then you will be sent an invite via a private message when a person tries to add you to a group.

You can chose to ignore this invite if you don’t want to be added, as the invite will expire in three days.  

WhatsApp, in a statement to NDTV, said that this feature has been long-requested by users.

“WhatsApp groups continue to connect family, friends, coworkers, classmates and more. As people turn to groups for important conversations, users have asked for more control over their experience. With these new features, users will have more control over the group messages they receive,” the company stated in the statement.

Some parties have been auto adding people to groups to spread fake news and malicious rumours, and scammers also auto add users to spam them with links to gambling sites.

The feature is already available to users in India and is being rolled out globally in stages.

Once the feature is available, users will be able to access it from Settings, according to Gadgets360. Click on Account > Privacy > Groups and you’ll find “Who can add me to groups” under this tab.