Meta Disables 150K Accounts Linked to Southeast Asian Fraud Centers in Global Crackdown
Meta on Wednesday said it has banned more than 150,000 accounts linked to fraud centers in Southeast Asia as part of a joint effort in cooperation with authorities in Thailand, the US, the UK, Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.
The effort also led to the arrest of 21 people by the Royal Thai Police, the company said. The action builds on a pilot measure in December 2025 that resulted in Meta removing 59,000 accounts, Pages, and Groups from its platforms and six arrest warrants.
“Cyber fraud has become more sophisticated and advanced in recent years, as criminal networks often found in Southeast Asia in countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos take a toll on full business operations,” Meta said in a statement. “These activities cause real harm – they destroy lives, destroy trust, and are deliberately designed to avoid detection and disruption.”
In parallel, Meta said it is announcing a number of new tools to protect people when red flags related to fraud are detected –
- New warnings on Facebook when users find suspicious accounts.
- It alerts users when they receive suspicious WhatsApp device link requests by tricking them into scanning a QR code that can link the fraudster’s device to their account.
- Improved scam detection in Messenger that allows users to share recent chat messages for AI scam review if a chat with a new contact shows common scam patterns such as suspicious activity.
The social media giant said it removed more than 159 million fraudulent ads for violating its policies by 2025, and that it took down 10.9 million Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to criminal enterprises. In addition, the company announced plans to expand advertiser verification in an effort to strengthen transparency and reduce attempts by bad actors to misrepresent advertiser identities.
The development comes as the UK government launches a new Cyber Crime Center to combat cybercrime, including those fueled by the rise of scam companies operating across Southeast Asia, West Africa, Eastern Europe, India and China, bringing together experts from government, police, intelligence agencies, banks, mobile networks and major technology firms.
The disruption unit is expected to start operating next month. It also outlines plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to flag emerging fraud patterns, stop suspicious bank transfers quickly, and use “deceptive chatbots” to trick fraudsters and gather intelligence.
“Backed by over £30 million in funding, the agency will identify accounts, websites and phone numbers that organized crime groups rely on, and crack them down – blocking fraudulent documents, suspending criminal accounts, removing fraudulent social media accounts and disrupting the source,” the UK government said.
