Meta Platforms removes approximately 63,000 Instagram accounts in Nigeria because of scam

Meta Platforms took action against the growing issue of financial sexual extortion scams in Nigeria. The company announced the removal of approximately 63,000 Instagram accounts and 7,200 Facebook accounts, pages, and groups associated with scamming people. The disinformation networks targeted primarily adult men in the United States.

Within Nigeria, fraudsters commonly known as "Yahoo boys" engage in scams ranging from impersonating individuals in need of financial assistance to posing as Nigerian princes promising high returns on investments. Among the deceptive tactics employed, sexual extortion or "sextortion" involves threatening individuals with the release of compromising photos unless they make payments to prevent their circulation.

Fortunately, most of the scammers' attempts were unsuccessful. However, some minors also faced such unwanted advances, leading Meta to report these incidents to the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Meta assured the public that this is not their first effort in disrupting such networks. By disclosing their current operation, Meta aims to raise awareness about these alarming scams. In recent years, the social media giant has faced increasing scrutiny from various governments, particularly in the United States, regarding the negative impact of its services on children. Legislators have urged Meta to confront the evidence suggesting that their platforms facilitate harm to young individuals.

During a congressional hearing, Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and other social media leaders were accused by a U.S. lawmaker of neglecting their responsibility to protect children, resulting in potential dire consequences related to sexual predation. Furthermore, the U.S. Surgeon General emphasized the need for warning labels on social media apps to highlight the harms they can pose.

Within Nigeria, scammers commonly referred to as "419 fraud" have thrived due to economic hardships faced by the country's population, exceeding 200 million. Operating from various locations, such as university dormitories, shanty suburbs, and wealthy neighborhoods, these fraudsters have resorted to online schemes to exploit vulnerable individuals.

Additionally, Meta revealed that certain accounts were devoted to providing tips and resources for carrying out scams. These efforts entailed selling scripts and guides for scamming purposes or sharing links to extensive collections of photos used to populate fake accounts.

By taking action against these deceptive networks, Meta hopes to combat and mitigate the growing threat posed by financial sexual extortion scams originating from Nigeria.

Earlier SSP reported that Nigeria imposes $220 million fine on Meta for personal data violations.