Meta says it has taken down more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups on Facebook and Instagram as part of a joint operation targeting scam networks operating in West Africa.
In a post on Tuesday, the technology company said the operation involved 14 other technology firms and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries.
The operation was coordinated by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), in collaboration with the US Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other agencies. It also led to the identification of more than 30 suspected scam centres.
According to Meta, law enforcement authorities confirmed the arrest of 28 people and the rescue of 117 individuals who had been trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.
The rescued victims were reportedly held against their will in a residential compound, where they endured malnutrition and physical and psychological abuse.
Meta said most of the accounts, pages and groups removed appeared to target users in the United States and the United Kingdom, using profiles that impersonated American and British individuals.
Microsoft also suspended accounts suspected of involvement in the fraudulent activities.
Meanwhile, Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange, identified more than 65 active scam victims and prevented potential losses exceeding $415,000, according to the statement.
The operation involved technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Coinbase, Starlink and Adobe, alongside law enforcement agencies from Nigeria, Ghana, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India.
Meta said the partnership allowed participants to exchange intelligence across digital platforms, jurisdictions and financial systems to identify criminal networks and disrupt their activities.
The targeted fraud schemes included cryptocurrency investment scams, fake job offers, romance scams, impersonation of law enforcement officers and military personnel, as well as fraudulent online sales.
The operation also focused on so-called scam recovery schemes, in which fraudsters target previous victims by offering to recover their stolen money in exchange for upfront payments.
Chris Sonderby, Meta’s vice-president and deputy general counsel, said the operation highlighted the importance of cooperation between technology companies and law enforcement agencies.
He added that the company would continue working with its partners to pursue scammers and disrupt their activities wherever they operated.
Nick Sharp, the NCA’s deputy director of fraud, said the collaboration had helped authorities target criminals responsible for fraud affecting thousands of victims.
He said the agency would continue working with international and private-sector partners to combat cross-border fraud networks.
The operation comes amid growing concerns about organised online fraud, with criminal groups using scam centres to recruit workers, train them in deception and coordinate fraudulent campaigns against victims worldwide.
The statement said, “Tech companies play a pivotal role in disrupting scam operations. But meaningful progress ultimately depends on real consequences for the criminal organizations behind these schemes,”
It added, “This model of industry and law enforcement working side by side delivers those consequences, and Meta and our partners are committed to ensuring its ongoing strength and repeatability.”