Facebook clean-up: Meta removed over 23,000 Facebook accounts in Brazil and India linked to scams using deepfakes of public figures to promote fake investments and gambling apps. The company is enhancing security features and collaborating with Indian authorities to combat online fraud and protect users.

On 07-05-2025, Meta announced that it had deleted over 23,000 Facebook Pages and accounts that were part of extensive scam operations that mostly targeted people in Brazil and India. The March takedown was a component of Meta’s larger initiatives to fight online fraud and increase public awareness of digital fraud.

Meta claims that the fraudulent networks used deep fake technology to pose as well-known individuals, such as corporate leaders, cricket players, and producers of financial information. These edited movies purportedly featured public individuals promoting gambling apps and fraudulent investment schemes.

Under the pretence of getting investment advice, consumers were taken to messaging platforms after interacting with the content. In several cases, consumers were tricked into downloading harmful gambling apps from a fake website that looked like the Google Play Store.

Meta outlines several common scams.

Meta described some increasingly common scam types as part of its effort to improve user protection. While payment scams usually take advantage of internet anonymity and urgency, investment scams frequently offer large returns on assets like shares, real estate, or cryptocurrency.

Scammers who pose as vendors on websites like Facebook Marketplace and demand cash before vanishing without delivering the promised products are known to engage in advance payment fraud. Other tactics include Over Payment Frauds, in which con artists request a refund after claiming to have overpaid for an item, only to later reverse their initial (often fraudulent) transaction.

As a result, Meta has implemented some security features on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, including scam alerts in Messenger and instructional materials to assist users in identifying fraudulent activities.

To improve online safety, the internet giant said it is collaborating closely with Indian government agencies and civil society groups. Initiatives mentioned include cooperation with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, the Department of Telecommunications, and the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Reiterating its dedication to digital security, Meta urged customers to stay alert and make use of the resources available to report and steer clear of frauds.