Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, has announced a global anti-scam campaign to protect users from fraudulent activity during the holiday shopping season, AFP reported. This initiative is part of the company's ongoing efforts to tackle the increasing number of online scams, particularly targeting unsuspecting buyers.
In a statement released on Monday, Meta revealed that it had removed more than two million accounts linked to scam operations throughout the year in several countries including Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, the UAE and the Philippines. Additionally, the company removed 15,000 phishing URLs in Vietnam and 9,000 in Singapore, underscoring its global enforcement actions.
Through a partnership with cybersecurity company Graphika, Meta has identified three major scam campaigns that are becoming increasingly popular during the holiday season. These include misleading promotions offering counterfeit Christmas gift boxes, the fraudulent sale of Christmas decorations and counterfeit store receipts.
Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive consumers, including AI-generated voiceovers and fabricated customer testimonials, the company noted. These scams are not limited to a single platform, Meta added, making it difficult for any company to detect and dismantle the full scope of these malicious campaigns.
Meta's announcement also highlighted the challenge posed by evolving scams, with fraudsters constantly adapting their strategies to evade detection. The company explained that due to the multi-faceted nature of these schemes, “each company may only see a small piece of these scam campaigns.”
To further strengthen its efforts, Meta has brought in internet security expert and ethical hacker Rachel Tobac, who will help users recognize and avoid online threats.
In addition, Meta has expanded its Fraud Intelligence Reciprocal Exchange (FIRE) program, initially launched in the UK and Australia, to include banks around the world. This initiative aims to facilitate the sharing of crucial information on potential fraud activities between financial institutions and Meta's platforms, strengthening joint efforts to combat online fraud.
As the holiday shopping season approaches, Meta's campaign serves as a timely reminder for users to remain vigilant and aware of the ever-changing tactics used by scammers in the digital space.