Meta, in collaboration with the FBI, Department of Justice, Microsoft, Coinbase, and Starlink, conducted a significant anti-scam operation that resulted in 63 arrests and the freezing of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. The operation, which began on May 18, aimed to dismantle criminal networks involved in various scams, including romance scams and cryptocurrency fraud. It was the largest anti-scam initiative undertaken by Meta to date, involving multiple international law enforcement agencies, including the Royal Thai Police and agencies from the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
The operation led to the removal of approximately 1.4 million scam-related accounts from Facebook and Instagram. Authorities noted that many of the scam organizations operate from forced-labor compounds in Southeast Asia, with some individuals coerced into participating in fraudulent activities. Chris Sonderby, Meta’s vice president and deputy general counsel, emphasized the importance of partnerships in combating scams. The operation also identified new scam compounds and networks for further investigation.
This initiative marks the third collaboration between Meta and the DOJ Scam Center Strike Force since December 2025, with the scale of operations increasing significantly over time, from 59,000 scam assets removed in December to 1.4 million in the latest effort.
