Trending Now - Meta and Partners Uncover Major Scam Operation, 63 Arrested

WHO:

Fox News - Meta, FBI, Department of Justice (DOJ), Microsoft, Coinbase, Starlink, Royal Thai Police, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Chris Sonderby (Meta’s vice president and deputy general counsel), Colin McDonald (Assistant Attorney General for National Fraud Enforcement).

WHAT:

Fox News - A major anti-scam operation led by Meta resulted in 63 arrests, the freezing of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency, and the removal of over 1.4 million scam-related online accounts.

Fox News - The operation targeted criminal scam networks involved in romance scams, cryptocurrency investment fraud, and other fraudulent schemes.

Fox News - Coinbase froze more than $3 million in cryptocurrency assets tied to criminal networks, and Microsoft disabled approximately 20,000 accounts linked to scam operations.

WHERE:

Fox News - The operation spanned Washington, D.C., and Thailand, involving law enforcement agencies from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Thailand.

WHEN:

Fox News - The operation began on May 18 and lasted for two weeks.

Fox News - This operation marked Meta's third joint operation with the DOJ Scam Center Strike Force since December 2025.

WHY:

Fox News - The operation aimed to combat criminal organizations that steal billions of dollars from Americans each year through various scams.

Fox News - Authorities warned that some individuals working in Southeast Asian scam compounds are trafficking victims coerced into committing fraud.

HOW:

Fox News - The operation involved collaboration between major technology companies, financial platforms, and law enforcement agencies to target the broader fraud ecosystem.

Fox News - Meta removed approximately 1.4 million scam accounts, pages, and groups from Facebook and Instagram as part of the operation.

Fox News - The task force undertook over 450 major law enforcement actions within 52 days, including search warrants, arrests, and convictions.

(UPDATED June 3, 2026 12:37 UTC)

In a significant crackdown on fraud, Meta's recent anti-scam operation led to 63 arrests and the freezing of millions in cryptocurrency, targeting criminal networks involved in romance scams and investment fraud. This operation, which spanned Washington, D.C., and Thailand, also saw Coinbase freeze over $3 million in assets and Microsoft disable around 20,000 accounts linked to scams. Authorities emphasized that this effort, which included collaboration with the DOJ and various international law enforcement agencies, aimed to dismantle organizations that steal billions from Americans each year, while also addressing the issue of trafficking victims coerced into committing fraud.