# Nigeria, Ghana majorly affected as Meta removes 3.7m Facebook and Instagram accounts in scam crackdown

- Link: https://viralbrief.top/nigeria-ghana-majorly-affected-as-meta-removes-3-7m-facebook-and-instagram-accounts-in-scam-crackdown/
- Published: 2026-10-15T20:06:56+00:00
- Author: Olamide

Nigeria and Ghana have drawn international attention following a coordinated global
operation targeting West African online fraud networks, which resulted in Meta removing
over 3.7 million accounts, Pages, and Groups across Facebook and Instagram.

 

The cross-border enforcement effort brought together law enforcement agencies from
10 nations alongside 15 major technology companies. The operation led to 28 arrests,
the identification of more than 30 suspected scam centers, and the rescue of 117
human trafficking victims in Ghana.

 

Hosted by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) in partnership with the
United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation(
FBI), the initiative focused on dismantling organized criminal syndicates operating
across the West African region.

 

Meta described the sweep as its first unified, large-scale crackdown targeting regional
scam infrastructure. Investigators noted that the removed profiles predominantly
targeted victims in the United States and the United Kingdom by utilizing fake accounts
impersonating American and British citizens. Additional targets included individuals
in Germany, Brazil, Japan, India, South Africa, Turkey, and Nigeria.

 

Technology partners collaborating in the effort included Google, Microsoft, OpenAI,
Coinbase, Adobe, and Starlink.

 

According to the DOJ, Nigerian law enforcement operatives arrested nine individuals
and seized 53 electronic devices during the raids.

 

In neighboring Ghana, authorities executed a raid in Sasaabi, near Accra, resulting
in 19 arrests and the seizure of 303 electronic devices. Officials also located 
117 individuals allegedly held against their will and coerced into executing digital
scams. The DOJ confirmed that these rescued victims are currently awaiting repatriation
to Nigeria.

 

 

Investigators identified 89 documented victims of fraud associated with the targeted
networks, with estimated financial losses reaching approximately $8.3 million. The
findings underscored the severe human toll of cybercrime operations, notably the
intersection of online fraud and human trafficking.

 

The targeted criminal schemes encompassed various illicit activities, including 
cryptocurrency investment fraud, deceptive employment offers, romance scams, e-commerce
fraud, and impersonation schemes targeting law enforcement and military personnel.

 

Investigators also cracked down on recovery scams, wherein fraudsters target previous
victims by demanding upfront fees under the false promise of recovering lost funds.

 [Source link ](https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2026/10/nigeria-ghana-majorly-affected-as-meta-removes-37m-facebook-and-instagram-accounts-in-scam-crackdown.html)

  TL;DR (AI Generated)

Meta removed over 3.7 million accounts and pages across Facebook and Instagram during
a major international crackdown on West African online fraud networks primarily 
affecting Nigeria and Ghana.

The coordinated operation involving ten nations and fifteen tech companies led to
28 arrests, the rescue of 117 human trafficking victims in Ghana, and the seizure
of numerous electronic devices.

Investigators linked the criminal syndicates to financial losses of approximately
8.3 million dollars through various deceptive schemes targeting victims globally.

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