Tech giants and US authorities dismantle Southeast Asian scam syndicates in historic joint operation
The multi-agency initiative, involving information sharing in Washington DC, has resulted in the disabling of 1.4 million Meta accounts, the suspension of 20,000 Microsoft profiles, and the freezing of over $3 million in cryptocurrency.
A coordinated effort between major technology firms and the US Department of Justice has significantly disrupted online scam networks operating in Southeast Asia. The operation, which marks the first industry-wide collaboration of its kind, involved Meta, Microsoft, SpaceX, Coinbase, and international law enforcement partners working together to dismantle criminal syndicates.
The initiative began on May 18 with information sharing sessions in Washington DC, allowing agencies to connect disparate data points across various digital platforms. The joint task force targeted criminal groups that conduct romance scams and "pig butchering" schemes against Americans, while also exploiting fellow Southeast Asians through forced labour in scam compounds.
The scale of the disruption was substantial. Meta disabled more than 1.4 million accounts, pages, and groups across its Facebook and Instagram platforms. Microsoft suspended 20,000 accounts used by scammers, while Coinbase froze over $3 million in cryptocurrency linked to the criminal networks. Additionally, SpaceX disconnected thousands of Starlink satellite kits identified as being used to facilitate these operations.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Royal Thai Police and partners from the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, have arrested 63 suspects in connection with the operation. By exchanging intelligence, authorities were also able to identify additional potential scam centre locations, further degrading the infrastructure supporting these criminal enterprises.
Meta has faced significant criticism in recent years for allowing scammers to operate on its platforms and reportedly earning billions from ad marketing scams. In response, the company has ramped up its enforcement efforts, removing 159 million scam ads and 10.9 million accounts tied to criminal centres in 2025. The firm also rolled out new AI tools in March to detect impersonation and warn users of fraudulent accounts.
Despite previous setbacks, including instances where reported scams remained active, Meta stated that the participating companies remain committed to continuing this collaboration. The joint operation highlights a growing trend of cross-sector cooperation between tech providers and regulators to combat sophisticated cybercrime networks.
