Meta-Led Anti-Scam Operation: 63 Arrests, Millions in Cryptocurrency Frozen, and Over a Million Scam Accounts Eliminated
A major anti-scam operation led by Meta in collaboration with the FBI, Department of Justice, Microsoft, Coinbase, and Starlink has resulted in the arrest of 63 individuals, the freezing of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency, and the elimination of over a million scam-related online accounts. This operation, Meta's largest anti-scam effort to date, marks the first coordinated anti-scam initiative of its kind for the company, bringing together major technology companies, financial platforms, and law enforcement agencies to combat fraud.
The two-week operation, which commenced on May 18, involved the DOJ's Scam Center Strike Force, led by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro, along with the FBI, the Royal Thai Police, Microsoft, Coinbase, Starlink, and other international law enforcement partners. The collaborative effort spanned across Washington, D.C., and Thailand, with the participation of the U.S. Secret Service and law enforcement agencies from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Thailand.
The operation targeted criminal scam networks engaged in romance scams, cryptocurrency investment fraud, and other fraudulent schemes that reportedly steal billions of dollars from Americans annually. Many of these organizations are said to operate from forced-labor compounds in Southeast Asia associated with transnational organized crime groups. Law enforcement efforts have focused on apprehending alleged organizers, recruiters, money launderers, and network operators, while also addressing the issue of trafficking victims coerced into carrying out fraud.
Meta's Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Chris Sonderby, emphasized the importance of partnerships in combating scammers and protecting individuals worldwide from scams. As part of the operation, Meta removed approximately 1.4 million scam accounts, pages, and groups from Facebook and Instagram, while the Royal Thai Police arrested 63 individuals linked to scam centers. Coinbase froze over $3 million in cryptocurrency assets tied to criminal networks, and Microsoft disabled around 20,000 accounts associated with scam operations. Starlink also disrupted thousands of internet terminals connected to these networks.
The joint effort between Meta and various law enforcement agencies has led to the identification of numerous scam compounds and criminal networks, which have been referred for further investigation. This operation represents Meta's third collaboration with the DOJ Scam Center Strike Force since December 2025, with the scale of the operation expanding significantly from 59,000 scam assets removed in December to 150,000 in March and 1.4 million in the latest crackdown. Overall, Meta has removed more than 1.6 million scam accounts, pages, and groups across all three operations, contributing to 84 arrests by the Royal Thai Police.
In conclusion, the successful anti-scam operation conducted by Meta and its partners underscores the importance of collective efforts in combating fraudulent activities and protecting individuals from online scams. The coordinated approach involving technology companies, financial platforms, and law enforcement agencies has proven effective in dismantling criminal networks and preventing financial losses due to fraudulent schemes.