Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has taken down 63,000 Instagram accounts based in Nigeria, targeting a widespread sextortion racket. The accounts were primarily involved in financial sextortion scams, aimed at extorting money from adult men in the United States.
The operation, carried out in late May, targeted a network of cybercriminals known as the “Yahoo Boys.” Among the removed accounts, 2,500 were linked to a coordinated group of 20 individuals. These cybercriminals used the accounts to run scams, blackmailing victims by threatening to release sexually explicit images unless a ransom was paid.
In addition to Instagram accounts, Meta also deleted thousands of Facebook accounts, groups, and pages that were providing scam tips, fake photos, and scripts for potential sextortionists. This crackdown is part of a broader effort to combat sextortion, which has been identified by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation as one of the fastest-growing crimes targeting children in the country.
While the majority of the removed accounts targeted adults, some were found to be targeting minors. These cases were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), highlighting the severity and scope of the threat.
In response to this growing issue, Meta has introduced new technical measures to detect and disrupt such scams. The company is also testing features designed to alert users to potential scams, including a system to detect nudity in direct messages and provide warnings to both senders and recipients. Additionally, earlier this year, Meta implemented safety features in Instagram messages to automatically detect nudity and warn users about the risk of blackmail.
This move underscores the importance of digital safety and the need for continued vigilance against online exploitation. Meta’s actions aim to protect users from these malicious activities and create a safer online environment.
