The most popular messenger application, WhatsApp in the latest update, allowed its users to block spam messages – potential phishing attempts to extort money or steal personal data – directly from the lock screen.
WhatsApp is very popular in many parts of the world, serving as the primary instant messaging tool for everyday needs. Since accounts are linked to phone numbers, anyone with your number can contact you on the app, making it rather easy for bad actors to contact you directly.
To its credit, WhatsApp is now displaying cautionary alerts just beneath the sender’s contact information when users receive messages from unknown numbers. Alongside the “Add to contacts” button, a prominent “Block” button is also visible for such chats.
However, users need to open the chat to tap the message or, at the very least, block the sender from their chat list.
Recently, WhatsApp conveyed a message to users through its official handle, introducing a new feature that allows blocking messages from unknown contacts directly from the lock screen.
In a brief video, the company explained that if a message exhibits characteristics of phishing attempts, Ponzi schemes, or other scams, users can expand the quick actions on their lock screen and select the “Block” option next to the “Reply” button.
WhatsApp may present a secondary prompt to report the contact.
Users can tap the checkbox for the “Report contact” option and then hit “Block” to confirm the action in the pop-up window. The last five messages from the sender will be shared with WhatsApp, aiming to contribute to a more effective automatic spam prevention system.
Since this contact-blocking system is accessible on the lock screen, it is also available in the notification shade. In any case, users can save the effort of opening the app and then the chat just to block unwanted messages.
The feature is currently rolling out widely and should already be available on users’ devices.
