6.8M WhatsApp Accounts Shut Down by Meta Due to Scam Networks – TechRepublic

Published August 7, 2025 Scam groups use fake investments, crypto fraud, and social media manipulation to deceive victims across platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and TikTok. Image: unsplash/Amanz WhatsApp has removed more than 6.8 million accounts associated with international scam operations, particularly those operating out of Southeast Asia, in the first half of 2025. The announcement, made by parent company Meta, highlights the growing threat of organized cyber scams, many of which are linked to scam centers in Southeast Asia. Meta confirmed the takedown in a published statement on Tuesday, explaining the accounts were proactively removed “before scam centers were able to operationalize them.” The company noted that many of these centers are coordinated by organized criminal syndicates and rely on coerced labor. These groups employ a variety of deceptive tactics, including fraudulent investment schemes, cryptocurrency cons, and manipulative activity across social media platforms. According to Meta, scammers frequently initiate contact through text or dating apps, then transition across multiple platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, or TikTok. The aim is to make it difficult for any one platform to track the full extent of the fraud. In one coordinated bust, Meta, WhatsApp, and OpenAI worked together to take down a scam network
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