Facebook cleanup: Here’s why Meta deleted 23,000+ accounts in India and Brazil | Mint-OxBig News Network

Meta has removed more than 23,000 Facebook Pages and accounts involved in large-scale scam operations primarily targeting users in India and Brazil, the company revealed on Wednesday. The takedown, which took place in March, is part of Meta’s broader efforts to combat online fraud and raise awareness about digital scams.

According to Meta, the fraudulent networks employed deepfake technology to impersonate well-known personalities, including financial content creators, cricketers, and business figures. These manipulated videos falsely showed the public figures endorsing scam investment schemes and gambling applications.

Once users engaged with the content, they were redirected to messaging platforms under the guise of receiving investment advice. In some instances, victims were lured to a counterfeit website designed to resemble the Google Play Store, where they were encouraged to download malicious gambling apps.

Meta outlines several common scams

As part of its campaign to enhance user protection, Meta outlined several types of scams that have become increasingly prevalent. Investment scams often promise high returns on assets such as cryptocurrency, real estate, or shares, while payment scams typically exploit online anonymity and urgency.

Advance payment fraud, a common tactic, involves scammers posing as sellers on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, demanding payment before disappearing without delivering the promised goods. Other schemes include overpayment frauds, where scammers claim to have overpaid for an item and request a refund, only to later reverse their original (often fake) transaction.

In response, Meta has introduced a series of safety measures across its platforms — Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp — including scam alerts in Messenger and educational resources to help users spot fraudulent activity.

The tech giant stated that it is working closely with Indian authorities and civil society organisations to strengthen online safety. Collaborative efforts with the Department of Telecommunications, Department of Consumer Affairs, and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre are among the initiatives highlighted.

Meta reiterated its commitment to digital security, encouraging users to remain vigilant and utilise the tools available to report and avoid scams.