Meta says it has removed more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups from Facebook and Instagram in a joint operation targeting scam networks operating in West Africa.
In a web post on Tuesday, the company said the operation involved 14 other technology companies and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries, leading to the identification of more than 30 suspected scam centres.
The operation was coordinated by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency in partnership with the US Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies.
According to Meta, law enforcement authorities confirmed the arrest of 28 individuals and the rescue of 117 people who had allegedly been trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.
The company said the rescued victims had been held against their will in a residential compound, where they suffered malnutrition and physical and psychological abuse.
Meta added that most of the removed accounts, pages and groups appeared to target people in the United States and the United Kingdom through profiles impersonating American and British users. Microsoft also suspended accounts suspected of being linked to the fraudulent activities.
Meanwhile, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase identified more than 65 active scam victims and prevented potential losses exceeding 415,000 dollars, according to the statement.
Other participating companies included Google, OpenAI, Starlink and Adobe, alongside law enforcement agencies from Nigeria, Ghana, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India.
The operation targeted cryptocurrency investment scams, fake job offers, romance scams, impersonation of law enforcement officers and military personnel, fraudulent online sales and schemes that exploit previous victims by promising to recover stolen money for upfront payments.
Meta’s Vice-President and Deputy General Counsel, Chris Sonderby, said the operation demonstrated the importance of cooperation between technology companies and law enforcement agencies, adding that the company would continue working with partners to disrupt scam networks.
Boluwatife Enome
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