Nigeria and Ghana have come under the spotlight following an international crackdown on online fraud networks in West Africa, which led Meta to remove more than 3.7 million accounts, Pages and Groups from Facebook and Instagram.
The operation, announced on Tuesday, October 13, involved law enforcement agencies from 10 countries and 15 technology companies working together to disrupt criminal networks targeting victims across the world. The initiative was coordinated by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), in partnership with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other agencies.
According to Meta, the operation resulted in 28 arrests, the identification of more than 30 suspected scam centres and the rescue of 117 people who had allegedly been trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana. The rescued victims were reportedly held against their will and subjected to malnutrition, physical abuse and psychological abuse.
In Nigeria, law enforcement operatives arrested nine suspects and seized 53 electronic devices during raids linked to the operation. In Ghana, authorities arrested 19 people during a raid in Sasaabi, near Accra, and seized 303 electronic devices. The 117 rescued victims are awaiting repatriation to Nigeria, according to reports.
Meta said most of the removed accounts, Pages and Groups appeared to target people in the United States and the United Kingdom, often through profiles impersonating American and British citizens. The fraudulent activities included cryptocurrency investment scams, fake job offers, romance scams, fraudulent online sales and impersonation of law enforcement officers and military personnel.
The crackdown also targeted recovery scams, in which fraudsters exploit people who have previously lost money by demanding upfront payments in exchange for promises to recover their funds. Meanwhile, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase reportedly identified more than 65 active scam victims and helped prevent potential losses exceeding $415,000.
Other technology companies involved in the operation included Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Adobe, Coinbase and Starlink. The companies shared intelligence with law enforcement agencies to identify criminal networks, disrupt their online infrastructure and trace suspected proceeds of fraud.
The operation underscores growing international efforts to tackle organised cybercrime and the human trafficking networks sometimes connected to scam centres. Authorities and technology companies have pledged to continue working together to identify suspects, protect potential victims and dismantle the infrastructure used to carry out online fraud.
