Meta dismantles 3.6m fake accounts in Singapore police scam crackdown

Meta said it has taken down 3.6 million fake accounts across Facebook and Instagram that were primed to facilitate scams, acting on intelligence provided by Singapore's police force. The removal comes as part of an expanded information-sharing arrangement between the technology company and the Singapore Police Force, which was established two years ago to systematically dismantle scam operations at scale.

The partnership has enabled Meta to identify patterns in fraudulent account creation and scam distribution networks operating across its platforms. By analysing data shared by Singapore police about known scam tactics and criminal networks, Meta said it has been able to preemptively detect and disable accounts before they are weaponised against users.

Scam networks operating across Southeast Asia have increasingly leveraged social media platforms to conduct investment fraud, romance scams, and job recruitment schemes that target victims across multiple countries. The collaboration signals a growing trend of technology companies working directly with regional law enforcement to combat transnational cybercrime.

Meta did not specify the timeframe over which the 3.6 million accounts were identified and removed, or provide details about the types of scams these accounts were being used to perpetrate. The company said it remains committed to expanding information-sharing partnerships with law enforcement agencies across the region to disrupt scam infrastructure.