Meta Says It Disabled 150,000 Accounts Tied to Southeast Asian Scam Centers
Summary
Meta says it disabled over 150,000 accounts linked to Southeast Asian scam centers in a multi-country effort that led to 21 Thai police arrests. It also announced new scam protections, while the U.K. launched a £30 million Online Crime Centre.
Key points
- Meta said it disabled over 150,000 accounts associated with scam centers in Southeast Asia through a coordinated effort with international authorities.
- Meta said the effort led to 21 arrests by the Royal Thai Police; the article does not provide details about suspects or charges.
- New measures include suspicious-account warnings on Facebook, WhatsApp device-linking alerts, and AI-assisted scam review prompts on Messenger.
- Meta reported removing over 159 million scam ads in 2025 and taking down 10.9 million Facebook and Instagram accounts associated with criminal scam centers.
- The U.K. launched a £30 million Online Crime Centre to coordinate government, law enforcement, financial, telecom, and technology specialists against organized scams.
- The U.K. centre plans to use AI to flag fraud patterns, help stop suspicious transfers, and deploy scam-baiting chatbots to gather intelligence.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Coordinated crackdown on scam-center accounts and organized online fraud
- Impact
- Meta said it disabled more than 150,000 accounts linked to scam centers in Southeast Asia, in an operation that resulted in 21 arrests by the Royal Thai Police. Meta also reported removing more than 159 million scam ads and 10.9 million Facebook and Instagram accounts associated with criminal scam centers in 2025. The company introduced additional scam-warning and detection features across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Separately, the U.K. launched a £30 million Online Crime Centre to disrupt organized fraud.
Vendors
Products
FacebookIt also rolled out new AI-driven protections across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger while the U.K.Facebook MessengerIt also rolled out new AI-driven protections across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger while the U.K.WhatsAppIt also rolled out new AI-driven protections across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger while the U.K.
Countries
Australiawith authorities from Thailand, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.Cambodiaindustrialized in recent years, with criminal networks often based in Southeast Asia in countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos running what amount to full-scale business operations,” Meta said in a statement.CanadaAsia as part of a coordinated effort in partnership with authorities from Thailand, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.Chinaby the rise of scam compounds operating across Southeast Asia, West Africa, Eastern Europe, India, and China, by bringing together specialists from the government, police, intelligence agencies, banks, mobileIndiathose fueled by the rise of scam compounds operating across Southeast Asia, West Africa, Eastern Europe, India, and China, by bringing together specialists from the government, police, intelligence agencies, banks,Indonesiathe U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.Japanof a coordinated effort in partnership with authorities from Thailand, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.Koreapart of a coordinated effort in partnership with authorities from Thailand, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.Laosyears, with criminal networks often based in Southeast Asia in countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos running what amount to full-scale business operations,” Meta said in a statement.Myanmarin recent years, with criminal networks often based in Southeast Asia in countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos running what amount to full-scale business operations,” Meta said in a statement.New Zealandfrom Thailand, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.Philippinespartnership with authorities from Thailand, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.Singaporeeffort in partnership with authorities from Thailand, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.Thailandwith scam centers in Southeast Asia as part of a coordinated effort in partnership with authorities from Thailand, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, andUnited KingdomIt also rolled out new AI-driven protections across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger while the U.K.United Statesin Southeast Asia as part of a coordinated effort in partnership with authorities from Thailand, the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia.