Meta, the owner of Instagram, has taken a strong stance against sextortion schemes targeting users in Nigeria. The tech giant announced that it has removed thousands of accounts involved in these harmful activities, which typically involve scammers posing as young women to trick individuals into sending explicit material before blackmailing them.
The devastating consequences of sextortion crimes have been highlighted, with victims experiencing stress, stigma, and shame that have led some to take their own lives. In response to this alarming trend, Meta has removed approximately 63,000 accounts and 5,700 Facebook groups associated with these scams.
The company emphasized the seriousness of financial sextortion and the need to combat such crimes. Experts and authorities have issued warnings to social media users to remain vigilant amidst the apparent rise of these scams.
Meta revealed that the accounts engaged in sextortion attempts were linked to a larger network of cybercriminals in Nigeria known as “Yahoo Boys.” These fraudsters are banned from using Meta’s platforms to carry out their illicit activities.
To combat sextortion, Meta employs a variety of technologies to identify and disrupt potential scams. This includes automatically blurring nude images sent in messages, providing users with the option to block and report senders, and implementing new tools to prevent potential sextortion attempts, especially targeting teenagers.
By taking proactive measures to address sextortion schemes, Meta is working to protect its users from falling victim to these harmful and exploitative practices.
