Meta Cracks Down on Sextortion Scams, Removes 63K Instagram Accounts

Meta has recently announced significant measures against a notorious sextortion group operating out of Nigeria. This initiative has led to the removal of approximately 70,000 profiles, Pages, and groups from Facebook and Instagram, alongside the implementation of improved measures to prevent their return.

The "Yahoo Boys" Scam Collective

Meta revealed that these accounts were linked to a group known as "Yahoo Boys," a well-known scam collective. Initially, Yahoo Boys were infamous for using the old "Nigerian Prince" scam, where they deceived victims with promises of riches. However, they have since shifted to romance scams, creating fake profiles to convince their targets to share money or personal information to maintain the relationship. In this latest action by Meta, the scammers have been using intimate images to extort money from their victims, particularly targeting Instagram users.

Meta's Efforts and Findings

Instagram Account Removal

Meta reported, "We removed around 63,000 Instagram accounts in Nigeria that attempted to directly engage in financial sextortion scams. These included a smaller coordinated network of around 2,500 accounts linked to a group of around 20 individuals. They targeted primarily adult men in the US, using fake accounts to mask their identities."

The scale of 63,000 profiles highlights the extensive and coordinated efforts of this group to intimidate and extort their targets.

Detection and Learning

Meta also detected a coordinated network of approximately 2,500 accounts using new technical signals and processes. "The majority of these accounts had already been detected and disabled by our enforcement systems. This investigation allowed us to remove the remaining accounts and understand more about the techniques being used, improving our automated detection."

This project has enabled Meta to learn more about the coordination and operational methods of Yahoo Boys and similar groups, helping them to improve their future detection and prevention efforts. However, as detection systems improve, so do the tactics employed by these groups, creating an ongoing cat-and-mouse game. Nonetheless, Meta's ongoing efforts suggest they are gaining the upper hand in larger, more impactful instances.

Additional Facebook Account Removals

In addition to Instagram profiles, Meta also removed 1,300 Facebook profiles and 5,700 groups that were providing tips on conducting online scams. These groups were also seemingly associated with the Yahoo Boys collective. "Their efforts included offering to sell scripts and guides for scamming people, and sharing links to collections of photos for populating fake accounts."

The Challenge of Sextortion and Romance Scams

Sextortion and romance scams are among the most malicious online crimes, targeting vulnerable and desperate individuals with false promises. These scams are particularly cruel, making Meta's proactive steps to combat them crucial. However, as scammers continue to evolve, especially with new AI technologies, Meta must also continuously improve its systems to maintain enforcement balance.

By staying vigilant and adaptive, Meta aims to protect users from these evolving threats, fostering a safer online environment.