Meta Removes 63,000 Accounts in Nigerian Sextortion Crackdown
Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has removed 63,000 accounts linked to sextortion scams primarily targeting adult men in the United States. These accounts were connected to a network of approximately 2,500 accounts operated by 20 individuals, mostly Nigerian cybercriminals known as the "Yahoo Boys." The scammers used fake identities to extort victims by threatening to release explicit images unless payments were made.
In addition to removing these accounts, Meta took down 7,200 other assets, including 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 pages, and 5,700 groups that provided scam-related resources. The company has also introduced new protective measures on Instagram, such as on-device nudity protection, which automatically blurs images containing nudity in direct messages. This action comes amid increasing concerns over the rise of financial sextortion cases, which the FBI has identified as one of the fastest-growing crimes targeting minors, particularly boys aged 14-17.
