Meta Removes 63,000-Nigerian Facebook Accounts Over Sextortion-Scams

Meta Removes 63,000-Nigerian Facebook Accounts Over Sextortion-Scams

Meta has announced the removal of 63,000 Facebook accounts from Nigeria due to involvement in financial sextortion scams. The company detailed this action in a statement titled “Combating Financial Sextortion Scams from Nigeria,” released on Wednesday.

The move follows a recent $220 million fine imposed on Meta and its messaging platform, WhatsApp, by Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for alleged discriminatory practices.

Sextortion involves extorting money or sexual favors by threatening to expose compromising sexual activity. Meta highlighted that this type of crime is increasingly driven by cybercriminals, known locally as “Yahoo Boys,” who target people online with various scams.

Meta’s statement explained, “We’ve banned Yahoo Boys under Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy. This means we remove accounts linked to these groups whenever we become aware of them.”

The crackdown involved two main efforts:
1. Removal of Accounts: Meta removed approximately 63,000 accounts directly involved in sextortion scams. This included a coordinated network of around 2,500 accounts linked to about 20 individuals targeting mainly adult men in the U.S. These scammers used fake profiles to conceal their identities.

2. Disruption of Scammer Infrastructure: Meta also dismantled about 7,200 assets, including 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 Pages, and 5,700 Groups that provided scam-related tips and tools. These assets were used for selling scam scripts and sharing fake account photos.

Meta’s enhanced detection systems have improved its ability to identify and block such activities. The company continues to refine these systems to better prevent future scams.

Additional Context

As of May 2023, there were nearly 41.6 million Facebook users in Nigeria, representing 18.5% of the population. In July 2024, Meta introduced new monetization features for Nigerian content creators, fulfilling a promise made during a visit by Meta’s President of Global Affairs, Sir Nick Clegg, to President Bola Tinubu in March.