Meta disables 150,000 accounts in crackdown on Southeast Asia scam networks

ISTANBUL

Meta said Wednesday it has supported global law enforcement efforts to dismantle scam networks in Southeast Asia, disabling more than 150,000 accounts linked to scam centers.

In a statement, Meta said the action took place over the past week with input from the Royal Thai Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Justice Scam Center Strike Force.

The operation targeted scam centers preying on victims in the US, the UK, and countries across Asia-Pacific, the company said.

Thailand’s Royal Thai Police Anti-Cyber Scam Center arrested 21 people suspected of involvement in scam activities during the crackdown.

Meta said the campaign marked its second joint enforcement surge since December.

Separately, police in Cambodia on Wednesday raided a suspected online scam center targeting victims in Europe, arresting 65 suspects, including eight alleged Chinese ringleaders, the South China Morning Post reported.

The group allegedly used AI-generated faces and scripted live video calls to impersonate Japanese law enforcement officers and trick victims into sending money.

“Online scams cause real harm,” Meta said. “They upend lives, destroy trust and are deliberately designed to avoid detection and disruption.”