Meta Platforms announced that it has taken down approximately 63,000 Facebook accounts in Nigeria allegedly involved in financial extortion schemes, predominantly targeting adult men in the United States.
The individuals behind these schemes, often called “Yahoo boys,” are infamous for conducting scams such as posing as individuals in dire financial straits or Nigerian royalty promising substantial investment returns.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Meta confirmed the removal of numerous accounts, including a smaller, coordinated network of about 2,500 accounts associated with approximately 20 individuals. According to the social media giant, these accounts primarily targeted adult men in the US and used fake profiles to conceal their true identities.
Meta’s announcement comes shortly after Nigeria imposed a $220 million fine on the company. Investigations revealed that data-sharing practices on social platforms violated local consumer data protection and privacy laws.
Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has hit Meta hard, accusing the tech giant of using Nigerian users’ data from its platforms without their permission. The commission added that Meta is accused of throwing its weight around in the market to push through unfair privacy terms and subjecting Nigerians to bias compared to users in other regions with similar regulations.
The company claimed it has successfully disabled thousands of accounts in Nigeria using a blend of advanced technical signals designed to detect extortion.