Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, announced on Wednesday the removal of 63,000 accounts associated with Nigerian cybercriminals engaged in financial sextortion schemes targeting U.S. users.
In its Q1 2024 Adversarial Threat Report, Meta revealed that the takedown also included a specific network of approximately 2,500 accounts tied to a group of around 20 individuals.
Meta’s investigation and advanced technical methods revealed that these accounts, often disguised with fake profiles, targeted adult men in the U.S.
“Financial sextortion has become a global issue, with increased activity from Yahoo Boys—cybercriminals primarily operating out of Nigeria who specialize in various scams,” Meta stated.
The company not only removed these 63,000 accounts but also dismantled Facebook accounts, pages, and groups used by Yahoo Boys, which were banned under Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy for attempting to recruit and train new scammers.
Antigone Davis, Meta’s global head of safety, noted that while most scams targeted adults and were unsuccessful, some attempts involved minors, leading to reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Additionally, Meta eliminated about 7,200 assets in Nigeria, including 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 pages, and 5,700 groups involved in disseminating scam-related materials.
These assets were found to be distributing scripts and guides for scams and providing links to photo collections used for creating fake profiles.
Meta emphasized its commitment to supporting law enforcement efforts, including funding NCMEC and the International Justice Mission for Project Boost, which trains global law enforcement agencies in handling NCMEC reports.
News Editor