Meta, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and other major technology companies have joined international law enforcement agencies in a major operation targeting online scam networks operating in West Africa, resulting in 28 arrests and the rescue of 117 trafficking victims in Ghana.
The operation also saw Meta remove more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups from Facebook and Instagram, while investigators shared intelligence on more than 30 suspected scam centres linked to criminal networks targeting victims across the world.
The joint operation, which included technology companies such as Coinbase, Adobe and Starlink, was coordinated by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency in partnership with the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other US agencies.
It brought together law enforcement representatives from Nigeria, Ghana, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and other countries, marking the first joint disruption operation specifically targeting scam centres across West Africa on this scale.
According to Meta, most of the accounts, pages and groups it removed appeared to have targeted people in the United States and the United Kingdom, with operators using profiles that impersonated American and British users.
Microsoft also suspended accounts suspected of involvement in the fraudulent activities.
The operation began on October 6, when law enforcement agencies and participating technology companies met at the National Crime Agency’s headquarters in London to share intelligence and coordinate action against criminal networks operating across multiple platforms and jurisdictions.
Investigators traced activities ranging from the recruitment of scam operators and the infrastructure used to conduct fraud to the identification of victims and the movement of illicit funds.
One of the most significant outcomes was the rescue of 117 people who had allegedly been trafficked to work against their will in scam compounds in Ghana.
The victims were reportedly held in a residential compound, where they suffered malnutrition and physical and psychological abuse. Authorities arrested individuals linked to the operation, who are facing prosecution, according to the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation also reported that the operation involved the seizure of hundreds of devices and the identification of at least $11m in funds that could potentially be frozen.
Meta’s Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Chris Sonderby, said the operation demonstrated the importance of cooperation between technology companies and law enforcement agencies in tackling international fraud.
He said the company removed more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups targeting people in the US, UK and elsewhere, while intelligence shared with investigators helped identify suspected scam centres and support arrests and the rescue of trafficking victims.
The operation also produced results in preventing financial losses. Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase said it identified more than 65 active scam victims and prevented potential losses exceeding $415,000.
The companies and investigators identified several types of fraud associated with the networks, including cryptocurrency investment scams, fake job and online task offers, romance scams, impersonation of law enforcement and military personnel, and fraudulent online sales.
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Investigators also targeted so-called recovery scams, in which criminals approach people who have already lost money to fraudsters and promise to recover their funds in exchange for upfront payments.
The National Crime Agency’s Deputy Director of Fraud, Nick Sharp, said the operation showed how cooperation between law enforcement and private companies could help disrupt criminal networks and the infrastructure they depend on.
He said the agency would continue working with international partners to pursue fraudsters operating across borders and online.
The crackdown comes amid growing concerns about the scale and sophistication of online fraud, with criminal groups increasingly using multiple digital platforms, communication channels and financial systems to reach victims in different countries.
Technology companies participating in the operation said sharing intelligence across platforms enabled them to identify links between suspicious accounts, digital infrastructure and financial transactions that might otherwise have gone undetected.
The participating organisations said they intended to continue working with law enforcement agencies to identify criminal networks, disrupt their operations and prevent further losses.
The operation underscores the growing international effort to tackle online scams at their source, rather than relying solely on victims to report fraud after losing money.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
