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Meta says it has taken down more than 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages, and groups tied to organized cybercrime networks in Ghana and Nigeria.
According to a Meta release, raids in Ghana also rescued 117 people authorities said were being held against their will and forced to participate in scam operations.
Here’s what to know
Romance fraud, pig-butchering investment scams, financial sextortion, impersonation, and fake recovery services were the focus of a joint effort involving Meta, 14 other technology companies, and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries.
One of the raids in Ghana uncovered the human trafficking ring, leading to the rescue of 117 victims. Across the suspected scam compounds, authorities arrested 28 people and seized over 300 electronic devices.
More than 380 scam domains were also taken down by domain registrars and cybersecurity teams. In Nigeria’s Delta State, law enforcement arrested nine suspects and seized dozens of laptops, mobile devices, and high-capacity network routers allegedly used to run online fraud.
Private-sector financial intelligence units traced more than $11 million in illicit funds linked to the networks, potentially paving the way for international asset freezes to make it harder for scammers to keep operating and profit from stolen money.
More background
Cybercrime in West Africa has grown beyond smaller, more localized “Yahoo Boys” groups into larger, more industrialized networks.
Investigators described the groups targeted in the crackdown as compound-based operations that used cross-platform automation and coercive labor tactics similar to patterns seen in Southeast Asia.
Rather than relying on one-off messages, Meta explained that many of these schemes involved romance or investment narratives over extended periods of time, making the fraud both financially and emotionally devastating.
Investigators also highlighted so-called scam recovery services in Meta’s release, where people who had already been defrauded were targeted again by criminals posing as legal or recovery agents and asking for upfront payments to recover lost funds.
Nick Sharp, deputy director of fraud at the U.K.’s National Crime Agency, said in Meta’s release that sharing intelligence across borders is crucial because these criminal networks operate across platforms, financial systems, and countries at the same time. That kind of coordination could mean fewer scam accounts reaching users on apps they use regularly.
What’s being done?
Meta said Facebook and Instagram profiles, pages, and groups were used by the networks to find victims, train recruits, and organize deceptive campaigns.
Participating companies and law enforcement agencies said automated monitoring systems and shared intelligence channels will remain active to keep dismantled networks from resurfacing under new names. Officials also pointed to the U.K.’s planned Online Crime Centre as part of a strategy for future crackdowns.
Chris Sonderby, Meta’s vice president and deputy general counsel, said in the release, “Scams are a global threat that demand a unified global response. By combining tech sector threat intelligence with law enforcement capabilities, we can disrupt criminal operations both digitally and on the ground.”
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