Meta has removed more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups from Facebook and Instagram in a joint crackdown on scam networks operating in West Africa, leading to the rescue of 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.
The technology company disclosed the development in a statement on Tuesday, saying the operation involved 14 other technology firms and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries.
Coordinated by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), the operation involved the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other international partners. It also led to the identification of more than 30 suspected scam centres.
According to Meta, law enforcement authorities confirmed that 28 people had been arrested and 117 victims rescued from alleged trafficking and forced labour in Ghana.
The rescued individuals were reportedly held against their will in a residential compound, where they endured malnutrition and physical and psychological abuse.
Meta said most of the accounts, pages and groups removed appeared to target users in the United States and the United Kingdom, often using profiles that impersonated American and British individuals.
Microsoft also suspended accounts suspected of involvement in the fraudulent activities.
Meanwhile, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase identified more than 65 active scam victims and prevented potential losses exceeding $415,000, according to the statement.
Other technology companies involved included Google, OpenAI, Starlink and Adobe, alongside law enforcement agencies from Nigeria, Ghana, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India.
Meta said the collaboration enabled participants to exchange intelligence across digital platforms, national borders and financial systems to identify criminal networks and disrupt their operations.
The targeted schemes included cryptocurrency investment scams, fake job offers, romance fraud, impersonation of law enforcement officers and military personnel, and fraudulent online sales.
The operation also targeted scam recovery schemes, in which fraudsters approach previous victims with promises to recover stolen money in exchange for upfront payments.
Chris Sonderby, Meta’s vice-president and deputy general counsel, said the operation demonstrated the importance of cooperation between technology companies and law enforcement agencies in tackling organised online fraud.
He said Meta would continue working with its partners to pursue scammers and disrupt their activities wherever they operated.
Nick Sharp, the NCA’s deputy director of fraud, said the collaboration had helped authorities target criminals responsible for fraud affecting thousands of victims.
He added that the agency would continue working with international and private-sector partners to combat cross-border fraud networks.
The crackdown comes amid growing concerns about organised online fraud and the use of scam centres where criminal groups allegedly recruit and exploit workers to conduct fraudulent campaigns against victims worldwide.
Meta said technology companies play a crucial role in disrupting scam operations but stressed that lasting progress also requires criminal organisations to face legal consequences.