Meta Shuts Down 63,000 Sextortion Accounts in Nigeria

Meta Platforms has removed approximately 63,000 Facebook accounts in Nigeria involved in financial and sexual extortion scams aimed primarily at U.S. adult men. The scammers, often called 'Yahoo boys', establish fake identities to deceive victims. Some attempted to scam minors and provide tips for conducting fraud.

Meta Platforms announced on Wednesday the removal of about 63,000 Facebook accounts in Nigeria that engaged in financial and sexual extortion scams, predominantly targeting adult men in the United States. The perpetrators, known as 'Yahoo boys,' are notorious for posing as individuals in financial distress or offering lucrative investment returns.

The removed accounts included a smaller coordinated network of around 2,500 linked to approximately 20 individuals. 'They targeted primarily adult men in the U.S. and used fake accounts to mask their identities,' Meta said.

Sextortion involves threatening victims with the release of compromising photos, either real or fabricated, unless a payoff is made. Although most scams were unsuccessful, some attempts targeted minors, leading Meta to report these incidents to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in the U.S.

Meta utilized new technical signals to identify sextortion. Scammers in Nigeria, infamous for the so-called '419 scams,' have evolved as economic hardships worsen, with many operating from various socio-economic backgrounds. Some accounts offered tips for conducting scams, including selling scripts and fake photos.

(With inputs from agencies.)