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Meta and other technology companies worked with law enforcement agencies across several countries in an operation targeting scam networks linked to West Africa. Meta reported removing more than 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages and groups; authorities confirmed 28 arrests and the rescue of 117 people trafficked to work in scam operations in Ghana.
Meta and other major technology companies joined law enforcement agencies in a multinational operation targeting scam networks based in West Africa, reporting 28 arrests and the rescue of 117 people trafficked to work in scam compounds in Ghana. Meta said it removed more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups from Facebook and Instagram linked to suspected activity, while Coinbase said it prevented more than $415,000 in potential losses for identified scam victims.
The operation was convened by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) in London, in partnership with the US Department of Justice, the FBI and other US agencies. According to Meta, meetings began on October 6 and brought together technology companies, Ghanaian and Nigerian law enforcement, and partners from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India. Participating companies named in the announcement included Meta, Coinbase, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Starlink and Adobe.
Meta said the accounts, pages and groups it removed were based in West Africa, and that most appeared to target people in the United States and United Kingdom using profiles impersonating people from those countries. Microsoft suspended accounts it suspected were connected to the activity. The operation also produced leads on more than 30 suspected scam centers, according to the announcement. Coinbase said it identified more than 65 active scam victims and stopped over $415,000 in potential losses; the company described these as losses prevented before they occurred.
The NCA and partner agencies confirmed that 28 people were arrested and 117 trafficking victims were rescued from a residential compound in Ghana. Meta’s account says the rescued people had been forced to work for criminal operations, were malnourished and faced physical and psychological abuse. The suspects were arrested and face prosecution, the company said. The operation addressed several reported fraud types, including romance and investment scams, fake job or task offers, impersonation of officials or military personnel, non-delivery fraud and schemes that promise to recover money lost in an earlier scam.
Disruptions Across the Scam Chain
The reported results span online accounts, suspected scam locations, trafficking and victim funds, rather than focusing on one platform or a single stage of fraud. Investigators and companies shared information intended to connect activity across services, countries and financial systems, from recruitment and infrastructure to victim identification and money movement. That coordination can help authorities identify networks that might otherwise appear as separate incidents or accounts.
The Ghana rescues also show that scam operations can involve coercion and human trafficking, as well as financial harm to people targeted online. The reported account removals and prevented losses indicate the scale of action claimed by participating companies, but they do not establish how much of the broader criminal activity has been stopped. The operation’s outcome matters to consumers because the scams described can target people in multiple countries and use familiar online relationships, employment offers or official identities to solicit money.
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A Wider Cross-Border Operation
Meta described the effort as the first joint disruption broadly targeting scam networks in West Africa. That characterization comes from the company’s announcement. It also contrasted the region’s networks with scam centers in Southeast Asia, describing West African operations as generally more decentralized and less industrial. The source does not provide comparative figures to quantify that difference.
The operation involved agencies including the NCA, FBI, US Department of Justice, Homeland Security Investigations and US Secret Service, alongside Ghanaian and Nigerian authorities and international partners. Officials and company teams shared actionable intelligence over several days, according to Meta. The stated purpose was to connect information across platforms and jurisdictions and target different parts of the fraud process, rather than treat each platform account or financial transaction in isolation.
““Scams are a global threat that demand a global response.””
— Chris Sonderby, Meta vice president and deputy general counsel
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Details Still Awaiting Confirmation
The announcement does not identify the 28 people arrested, specify which suspected centers were disrupted, or provide details about charges, court proceedings or the status of the cases. It also does not say how many of the more than 30 leads resulted in searches, closures or other enforcement actions. The account removal figure is Meta’s own report; the source does not detail how the accounts were individually assessed or how many affected users were genuine victims, suspected operators or other entities.
The source gives no breakdown of Coinbase’s prevented losses by scam type or country, and it does not say whether the identified victims recovered funds. It also does not provide a total estimate of losses connected to the networks. While the agencies confirmed arrests and rescues, further independently attributable details about the investigation and prosecution were not included in the material provided.
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Investigations and Prosecutions Continue
The source says the arrested people face prosecution and that information shared during the operation created new opportunities for further investigations. Authorities have not announced a timetable for additional arrests, charges or court appearances, nor have they detailed which agencies will lead individual cases. Investigations may continue across the countries and services connected to the suspected networks.
Meta said it would keep working with law enforcement and industry to pursue scammers. Further public updates would be needed to establish whether the reported disruptions have led to additional enforcement actions, and whether platform monitoring or financial investigations have identified more victims or related operations.
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Key Questions
What happened in the operation?
Technology companies and law enforcement agencies worked together to disrupt suspected scam networks linked to West Africa. The announcement reports 28 arrests, the rescue of 117 trafficked people in Ghana, and platform and financial interventions.
Which companies took part?
The companies named included Meta, Coinbase, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Starlink and Adobe, along with other technology firms. Meta said Microsoft suspended accounts suspected of being connected to the activity.
What did Meta remove?
Meta said it removed more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups from Facebook and Instagram that were based in West Africa and linked to suspected scam activity. The company said most appeared to target people in the US and UK.
Were people rescued from the scam operations?
Yes. The announcement says law enforcement rescued 117 people from a residential compound in Ghana. Meta reported that they had been trafficked and forced to work for scam operations.
What is not yet known?
The available announcement does not name the arrested people, give case or charge details, or show how many suspected scam centers were ultimately closed. It also does not provide a full estimate of financial losses tied to the networks.
Source: rss
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