Meta Removes 6.8 Million WhatsApp Accounts Linked to Pig Butchering Scam Rings

Meta has dismantled 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts tied to Southeast Asian organized crime groups running "pig butchering" crypto scams this year. The scams typically start with unsolicited messages, escalate to private chats, and culminate in victims sending cryptocurrency to fraudulent investment platforms.

New safety features, including alerts for group additions by unknown contacts, aim to curb suspicious activity. Critics contend Meta's enforcement efforts are undermined by its financial incentive to retain scam-related ad revenue.

The operation targeted networks in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand. "We proactively detected and took down accounts before scam centers could operationalize them," Meta stated. The crackdown highlights growing concerns about crypto's role in sophisticated financial fraud.