Meta has collaborated with the Royal Thai Police, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Justice to disrupt extensive criminal scam operations based in Southeast Asia. The joint effort led to the disabling of more than 150,000 accounts across Meta's platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, and resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals.
The crackdown targeted sophisticated fraud schemes, notably "pig butchering," where scammers build relationships with victims before convincing them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency platforms. These criminal networks often rely on forced labor, luring individuals with deceptive job offers and then forcing them to perpetrate scams. This international operation highlights a growing focus on combating transnational organized crime that leverages social media for financial fraud.