Meta Platforms Inc. has removed 63,000 accounts linked to the “Yahoo Boys” scam group, known for financial sextortion and blackmail.
The company dismantled a network of 2,500 accounts targeting U.S. men with fake identities.
Meta identified and disabled these accounts using advanced detection and investigations, stating, “Financial sextortion is a borderless crime, fueled in recent years by the increased activity of Yahoo Boys.”
Meta also deleted 7,200 assets in Nigeria, including 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 pages, and 5,700 groups. These assets were offering scam-related scripts and resources.
The company noted, “We’ve removed around 63,000 accounts in Nigeria attempting to target people with financial sextortion scams,” and added, “We’ve also removed a set of Facebook accounts, Pages, and groups run by Yahoo Boys—banned under our Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy.”
Meta has shared information with other tech companies and supported law enforcement through initiatives like Project Boost, which trains agencies in processing exploitation reports.
The company has also implemented stricter messaging settings for users under 16 and displays safety notices to promote cautious online behavior.
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