Meta has taken action against sextortion scams by removing approximately 63,000 Instagram accounts and around 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 Facebook Pages, and 5,700 Facebook Groups originating from Nigeria. These accounts were involved in targeting individuals, primarily U.S. men, with financial sextortion schemes. The cybercriminals behind these activities, known as Yahoo Boys, were found to be organizing, recruiting, and training new scammers. They offered scripts, guides, and shared links to photo collections for creating fake accounts.
The scams typically involved requesting photos from victims, followed by threats to share them. In response to these incidents, Meta introduced new tools in April to protect young users from explicit content and sextortion threats. While most of the scams targeted adults, some attempts were made to target minors, prompting Meta to report such accounts to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Meta identified a network of 63,000 Instagram accounts, including a smaller group of 2,500 accounts linked to about 20 individuals targeting adult men in the U.S. through fake identities. The company emphasized the evolving nature of cybercrime and its commitment to staying ahead of criminals by collaborating with experts, law enforcement, and the tech industry.
The FBI reported a significant rise in sextortion cases involving children and teens, with criminals increasingly demanding financial payments under threat of releasing compromising material. Tragically, some victims have resorted to suicide due to these threats. Notably, Nigerian individuals involved in sextortion cases have faced extradition to the U.S. for prosecution.
Meta highlighted its enforcement efforts in detecting and removing the Nigerian accounts, along with ongoing support for law enforcement investigations. The company stressed the importance of cooperation in combating such crimes and urged users to adhere to community guidelines for safe and respectful interactions.
Overall, the fight against sextortion requires a multi-faceted approach involving technology, law enforcement, and community engagement to protect individuals, especially vulnerable minors, from online exploitation.
