Lifestyle
Meta and Tech Partners Join Law Enforcement in 10 Countries to Hit West African Scam Networks: Over 3.7 Million Accounts Removed, 117 Victims Rescued
Meta announced a joint operation in London with 14 other tech companies and law enforcement from ten countries to disrupt scam networks based in West Africa. Meta says it removed over 3.7 million accounts, Pages and groups, most of which appeared to target people in the US and UK. It also says 28 people were arrested and 117 trafficked victims were rescued.
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What happened: a joint operation in London
Meta announced that it and 14 other major tech companies, together with law enforcement from ten countries, worked to disrupt criminal scam networks based in West Africa that target people around the world. A "scam center" is a site where a criminal group concentrates staff to carry out scams. Meta says this is the largest operation of its kind to date and the first joint disruption to broadly target scam networks in West Africa.
According to Meta, the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) hosted the operation in London. It worked in partnership with the US Department of Justice, the FBI and several US federal agencies, and the operation began on Tuesday, October 6. The participating companies Meta lists include Coinbase, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Starlink and Adobe. The operation targeted West African countries including Nigeria and Ghana.
Results published by Meta
Meta says it removed over 3.7 million West Africa-based accounts, Pages and groups from Facebook and Instagram. Most of them appeared to target people in the US and UK, using profiles that impersonated American and British users. Meta says Microsoft also suspended accounts suspected of being linked to the scam activity.
Beyond these online actions, Meta says the operation shared leads on more than 30 scam centers and law enforcement confirmed 28 arrests. Meta also says 117 trafficked victims who had been held against their will in scam centers were rescued. According to Meta, they were freed from a residential compound in Ghana, where they had been malnourished and subjected to physical and psychological abuse. Their captors have been arrested and face prosecution.
Meta also says Coinbase proactively identified more than 65 people who were being scammed and prevented over $415,000 in potential losses before they occurred. Meta also quotes FBI Director Kash Patel, who said the operation seized hundreds of devices and identified at least $11 million in funds that may be frozen.
| Party | Role described in Meta's announcement |
|---|---|
| Meta | Removed over 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, Pages and groups |
| Microsoft | Suspended accounts suspected of being linked to scam activity |
| Coinbase | Identified over 65 scam victims and prevented over $415,000 in potential losses |
| Silent Push | Mapped over 35,000 malicious domains (harmful website addresses) and nearly 700 communication channels |
| Starlink | Stated that its policies prohibit fraud and that it deactivates equipment kits involved in illegal activity |
What it means for ordinary readers
Meta lists the scam types involved in the operation: - investment scams - job or task scams - law enforcement impersonation scams - military impersonation scams - non-delivery scams - romance scams - "recovery" scams People may come across these tactics in daily life, and knowing their names and patterns helps in spotting them early.
Meta notes that the criminal networks behind scam centers operate like full businesses. They recruit staff and train them in social engineering, which means manipulating victims by exploiting trust, fear and other psychological weaknesses. They also run coordinated scams across several platforms against people worldwide. That is why sharing information across platforms and borders was central to this operation.
Background
Meta says scam centers in West Africa are generally more decentralized and less industrial than those in Southeast Asia. Meta's related news page also lists an earlier item, published on June 3, 2026, about tech companies and law enforcement disrupting scam networks in Southeast Asia.
Chris Sonderby, Meta's Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, said in a statement: "Scams are a global threat that demand a global response."
Frequently asked questions
Who led the operation and where was it carried out?
According to Meta, the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) hosted the operation at its London headquarters. It worked in partnership with the US Department of Justice, the FBI and several US federal agencies, and the operation began on October 6. Law enforcement from Ghana, Nigeria, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India also took part.
Who were the rescued victims?
Meta says the 117 rescued people had been trafficked to Ghana and forced to work for scam operations against their will. They were held in a residential compound, where they had been malnourished and subjected to physical and psychological abuse. Their captors have been arrested and face prosecution.
Which scam tactics did the operation involve?
Meta lists investment scams, job or task scams, impersonation of law enforcement officers or military personnel, non-delivery scams and romance scams. It also lists recovery scams, which promise to recover losses in return for an upfront fee.
Why did tech companies and law enforcement act together?
Meta says scam networks use several platforms at once, operate across many countries and are deliberately designed to be hard to detect. By sharing information, the parties connected leads across platforms, jurisdictions and financial systems so they could target the networks at several points.
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