Meta takes down 63,000 sextortion-related accounts on Instagram

Meta announced the take-down of 63,000 sextortion-related Instagram accounts in Nigeria alone.

The action was directed against a group known as Yahoo Boys, a loosely organized set of cybercriminals that largely operate out of Nigeria and specialize in different types of scams.

Meta took down a host of accounts, including some 2,500 that belonged to a coordinated group of around 20 criminals which primarily targeted adult men in the US.

Sextortion, the act of blackmailing individuals for cash in return for not leaking sensitive images and videos, has been a problem for many years. Sextortion and sextortion scams are sometimes carried out by people familiar with the target, but most of the time, cybercriminals who have no relationship to the victim are to blame.

Additionally, Meta took down around 7,200 assets, including 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 Facebook Pages and 5,700 Facebook Groups, also based in Nigeria. These accounts provided training, scripts, and complete guides for conducting scams. Nigeria still grapples with its reputation for being a source of internet-era fraud (the “Nigerian Prince” email scam is engrained in the public’s mind), and some residents are reportedly tricked into becoming scammers through predatory “classes” and programs that promise wealth.

Recently, after a successful operation targeting West African organized crime groups led to hundreds of arrests,  Isaac Oginni, Director of INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC) said:

“The volume of financial fraud stemming from West Africa is alarming and increasing. This operation’s results underscore the critical need for international law enforcement collaboration to combat these extensive criminal networks.”

While Meta’s investigation showed that the majority of these scammers’ attempts were unsuccessful and mostly targeted adults, it did reveal some attempts to target minors. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported in January 2024 that it saw a huge increase in the number of sextortion cases involving children and teens, mainly where the criminals would threaten and coerce the victims into sending explicit images online.

Children are led to believe they are communicating with someone their own age and tricked into sending nude pictures, which will later be used to threaten the victim with exposure. Last month, the BBC reported on an example of how devastating the consequences of sextortion can be, especially on young ones. In that case, Meta handed over data relating to a Scottish teenager who ended his life after becoming the victim of a sextortion gang on Instagram.

A US Senate committee accused Meta in February of not doing enough to protect children online and called for action by social media giants, in general, to do better.

 In his opening statement, Ranking Member Senator Lindsey Graham held Mark Zuckerberg and the other CEOs to immediate account:

“Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don’t mean it to be so but you have blood on your hands. … You have a product that’s killing people.”

Since then, Meta has said that it has learned new signals to identify accounts that are potentially engaging in sextortion, and the company is taking steps to help prevent these accounts from finding and interacting with teens.

“Our teams have deep experience in fighting this crime and work closely with experts to recognize the tactics scammers use, understand how they evolve and develop effective ways to help stop them.”

These takedowns seem to be a good indication that this is true. But these scammers will undoubtedly return to social media platforms to continue their cybercriminal run.

For those with children that don’t know where to start in keeping kids safe online, we recommend reading: Internet safety tips for kids and teens: A comprehensive guide for the modern parent.

The FBI asks that if young people are being exploited, they are the victim of a crime and should report it. Contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at tips.fbi.gov.

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