Meta eliminates 63,000 Instagram accounts linked to fraud

Meta reported the removal of 63,000 Instagram accounts linked to extortion scams. The majority of these accounts were from Nigeria and targeted adult males in the US, but some also targeted minors.

Here's What We Know

According to Meta, the recent deletions included 2,500 accounts associated with a group of approximately 20 individuals who worked together to commit fraud and extortion. The company has also removed thousands of Facebook accounts and groups that provided tips and advice to the extortionists' bottom line.

These accounts are linked to the Yahoo Boys, a group of cybercriminals operating primarily from Nigeria and specialising in various types of fraud.

Meta has come under particular scrutiny for not doing enough to protect teens from sexual extortion in its programmes. During a Senate hearing earlier this year, Senator Lindsey Graham asked Mark Zuckerberg whether parents of children who have been victims of fraud and committed suicide have the ability to sue the company.

The company stated that most of the criminals targeted adults.It also confirmed that some accounts also targeted minors and that these accounts were also reported to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Source: Meta