Meta has taken down over 63,000 Instagram accounts linked to a sophisticated sextortion operation based in Nigeria.
The social media giant identified a core group of 20 individuals operating 2,500 accounts that primarily targeted adult men in the United States. These accounts were part of the notorious “Yahoo Boys” cybercrime syndicate, which has seen a recent surge in activity.
In a broader crackdown, Meta also removed 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 Pages, and 5,700 Groups involved in disseminating scam tactics and training materials.
Sextortion scams: a nasty online trick
Sextortion is a type of online crime where someone tricks you into sending them naked photos or videos. Then they try to blackmail you with those photos or videos. They may threaten to send them to your friends, family, or even post them online.
How it works
The scammer might pretend to be someone you like online. They might chat with you for a while and try to gain your trust. Then, they might ask you to send them a nude photo or video. Once you send them the photo or video, they will threaten to expose you unless you pay them money.
Don’t fall for it!
If someone asks you for naked photos or videos online, don’t send them anything. It’s important to remember that sextortion is a crime. If you are being sextorted, there are people who can help. You can report the scammer to the police or to the social media platform where the sextortion took place.
Here are some additional tips for staying safe online:
- Be careful about who you chat with online. Don’t share personal information with people you don’t know.
- If someone asks you for something that makes you feel uncomfortable, stop talking to them.
- If you think you are being sextorted, tell a trusted adult or friend.
By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from sextortion and other online scams.
Meta’s efforts against sextortion
Social media platforms like Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) are working to stop sextortion. They use a combination of human investigators and technology to find and remove sextortion accounts. They also have safety features in place to help protect users, such as blurring nude photos in direct messages.
