July 25, 2024 at 12:56PM
Meta has removed 63,000 Instagram accounts from Nigeria due to sextortion scams, including a network of 2,500 accounts linked to 20 individuals targeting adult men in the United States. These scams are linked to the ‘Yahoo Boys’ cybercrime group. Meta has also deleted Facebook accounts, pages, and groups associated with similar scams in Nigeria. Measures are in place to prevent scammers from creating new accounts. The company has implemented a variety of measures to protect users, including auto-blurring nudity in direct messages, stricter messaging settings for teen users, and pop-up messages directing users to support resources. Sextortion, a growing concern, can have severe and lasting effects on victims. The FBI advises immediate reporting of sextortion crimes and offers resources for victims.
Meeting Notes Summary:
Meta (formerly Facebook) has removed 63,000 Instagram accounts from Nigeria involved in sextortion scams, including a coordinated network of 2,500 accounts linked to a cybercrime group called ‘Yahoo Boys.’
Related to this, 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 Facebook Pages, and 5,700 Facebook Groups based in Nigeria were also deleted for spreading scam-related material.
Meta has implemented measures to block scammers’ efforts to create new accounts on social media platforms.
Sextortion scams involve coercing individuals into sending explicit images or videos and then threatening to release them unless a ransom is paid, or more media is sent.
Meta’s efforts to combat sextortion include human-powered investigations, technical signals to identify suspicious activity, and various protection systems and anti-extortion measures.
The FBI reports that sextortion crimes, particularly targeting young males, are on the rise and have led to serious consequences, including self-harm and suicide.
Victims of sextortion are advised to report immediately via the FBI’s tips portal and consult the Stop Sextortion Hub for more information and support.
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