Meta disables 150,000 accounts in global sting on Southeast Asian scam centres

Meta disabled over 150,000 accounts as part of a global operation targeting Southeast Asian scam centers on Wednesday. The crackdown, led by Thailand’s Royal Thai Police Anti-Cyber Scam Centre with support from the FBI and US Justice Department, also resulted in 21 arrests in Thailand. These scam centers, often located in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos, operate sophisticated networks that lure victims into fake relationships and cryptocurrency investments. The scammers target internet users worldwide in multiple languages, stealing billions of dollars through these fraudulent schemes. Meta investigators acted on real-time intelligence shared by law enforcement agencies to disable the accounts.

Meta disabled over 150,000 accounts as part of an international crackdown on Southeast Asian scam networks. The operation, led by Thai police with support from the FBI and other international agencies, targeted criminal enterprises operating in countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. These networks run sophisticated scams, including fake romantic relationships and cryptocurrency investment schemes, to defraud victims globally. In addition to disabling accounts and the arrest of 21 people in Thailand, Meta introduced new protective tools on Facebook and WhatsApp. These tools include alerts for suspicious friend requests and warnings about fraudulent device-linking attempts, aiming to help users identify and avoid scams. Meta also expanded scam detection tools for Facebook Messenger.