Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, announced the removal of 63,000 accounts associated with Nigerian cybercriminals engaged in financial sextortion scams.
These scams primarily targeted users in the United States.
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In its Q1 2024 Adversarial Threat Report released on Wednesday, Meta revealed that the accounts removed included a smaller, coordinated network of approximately 2,500 accounts linked to about 20 individuals.
These scammers primarily targeted adult men in the U.S., using fake accounts to conceal their identities.
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Meta utilized advanced technical signals and thorough investigations to identify and disable these accounts, enhancing its automated detection systems.
The company highlighted that financial sextortion has become a borderless crime, with “Yahoo Boys,” loosely organized cybercriminals operating largely out of Nigeria, specializing in various scams.
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The report also mentioned that Meta removed additional assets in Nigeria, including 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 pages, and 5,700 groups involved in scam-related activities.
These assets were found offering scripts, guides for scams, and links to collections of photos used to create fake accounts.
Meta’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, explained that most of the scammers’ attempts were unsuccessful and primarily targeted adults, though there were reports involving minors, which were referred to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
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“Meta’s efforts extend beyond account removal. The company has been working closely with law enforcement, supporting investigations and prosecutions by responding to legal requests and alerting authorities to imminent threats. Meta also funds and supports NCMEC and the International Justice Mission in running Project Boost, a program that trains law enforcement agencies worldwide in processing and acting on NCMEC reports. Training sessions have been conducted in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, with the most recent session taking place last month.”
To further safeguard users, particularly teenagers, Meta has introduced stricter messaging settings for users under 16 (under 18 in certain countries) and displays safety notices to promote cautious behavior online.
