Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Platforms announced on Wednesday that it had taken down approximately 63,000 accounts in Nigeria involved in financial sexual extortion schemes primarily targeting adult men in the United States. Meta revealed that the fraudulent accounts were predominantly on Instagram, while an additional 7,200 accounts, pages, and groups on Facebook were also dismantled for sharing scamming techniques, as reported by Reuters.
Who Are 'Yahoo Boys'?
These fraudulent activities, conducted by Nigerian scammers commonly referred to as "Yahoo boys," range from posing as individuals in financial distress to impersonating Nigerian princes with promises of lucrative investments.
A smaller network of about 2,500 accounts, linked to a group of roughly 20 individuals, was also deactivated. These scams often involve "sextortion," where victims are threatened with the release of compromising images unless they pay to prevent their dissemination.
While most of these fraudulent attempts were unsuccessful, there were incidents targeting minors, which Meta reported to the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Meta highlighted that this crackdown is part of its ongoing efforts to combat such networks and raise public awareness.
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Meta Faces Scrutiny
Meta has faced increasing scrutiny from governments and legislators, particularly in the United States, to address the harm its platforms may cause to children. As reported by Reuters, earlier this year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other social media leaders were criticised in a US congressional hearing for not doing enough to protect children from online threats. The US Surgeon General has even suggested a warning label for social media apps to highlight these dangers.
Nigeria's online scams, often referred to as "419 scams" after the national penal code section on fraud, have surged amid the country's economic challenges. Scammers operate from various locations, including university dorms, slums, and affluent neighbourhoods.
Meta noted that some accounts were offering advice on conducting scams, including selling scripts and guides and sharing links to photo collections for use in fake profiles.