Meta purges over 2 million accounts linked to scam centres

Meta has eliminated over two million accounts connected to scam networks operating in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the UAE, and the Philippines.

The tech giant announced its efforts to combat criminal organizations behind schemes like "pig butchering," which lure victims globally through messaging apps, dating platforms, social media, and cryptocurrency-related applications. These scams persuade individuals to "invest" under false pretenses.

“We’ve partnered with law enforcement and private-sector peers to share insights and collaborate in disrupting these malicious operations,” Meta stated.

One of the most elaborate scams, "pig butchering," involves scammers building trust-based online relationships with victims, encouraging them to invest increasing amounts into fraudulent schemes, often involving cryptocurrency, only to lose their money.

Meta highlighted the unprecedented scale of the threat, citing data from the US Institute of Peace, which estimates that around 300,000 individuals worldwide are coerced into participating in scams, resulting in approximately $64 billion in global losses annually as of 2023.

These criminal networks compel workers to carry out various fraudulent activities, including cryptocurrency scams, gambling schemes, loan fraud, impersonation scams, and government-related fraud. Scammers often create fake identities, posing as attractive singles or representatives of trusted organizations, to deceive their victims.

The scams typically begin on dating apps, messaging platforms, email, or social media and later redirect victims to scam-controlled cryptocurrency accounts or fake investment websites.

“The Royal Thai Police has collaborated with Meta for over two years to disrupt these criminal operations. Sharing information has allowed us to investigate, take action against perpetrators, and hold criminal syndicates accountable,” said Police Major General Teeradej Thumsutee, Commander of the Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Royal Thai Police.