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Law enforcement arrested 63 individuals tied to Southeast Asian scam centers, with Meta disabling over 1.4 million fraudulent accounts across Facebook and Instagram.
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Coinbase froze more than $3 million in cryptocurrency assets, while Microsoft suspended 20,000 accounts and Starlink cut off thousands of kits used for illegal activity.
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The US Department of Justice led the joint operation with the Royal Thai Police, FBI, Secret Service, and global partners from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Thailand.
The FBI is working hand in hand with tech behemoths, including Coinbase and Starlink, to curb online scams. The operation has busted more than 60 suspects and confiscated $3 million in cryptocurrency. They’ve also wiped out 1.4 million scam accounts.
The First-of-Its-Kind Crackdown on Online Scam
They kicked off this operation this year on May 18. The Scam Center Strike Force of the US Department of Justice led the charge. US Attorney for DC, Jeanine Pirro, brought everyone to the table.
Who showed up? Meta, Microsoft, Coinbase, Starlink, and others. They sat with the FBI, Secret Service, and international law enforcement. Teams gathered in Washington, DC, and Bangkok.
They shared intelligence. They connected dots across platforms. And then they struck.
The Royal Thai Police took part in the operation too, and have so far arrested 63 suspected criminals. These criminals are allegedly tied to scam centers that exploit millions worldwide via investment fraud, romance scams, and even forced labor inside scam compounds.
The Crackdown has Disrupted Millions of Online Assets
Meta went big. The company disabled more than 1.4 million accounts, pages, and groups. That’s across Facebook and Instagram alone.
Microsoft wasn’t far behind. The company suspended approximately 20,000 fraudulent accounts. All linked to the same scam networks.
Starlink stepped up too. The company terminated connectivity for thousands of its kits. Those kits were tied to unlawful use. Starlink says it has zero tolerance for abuse.
And Coinbase? They froze over $3 million in cryptocurrency assets. The blockchain left a trail. Every transaction stayed visible. That transparency let investigators trace and freeze the money.
Cryptocurrency is also used in extortion scams. A new email scam threatens to sell victims’ data unless they pay $640 in Bitcoin, highlighting why tracking crypto transactions is crucial.
Connecting the Dots Across Borders
This wasn’t just about deleting accounts. Intelligence-sharing gave law enforcement something bigger. They identified many new scam center locations. They found new criminal networks. All of that got referred to authorities for follow-up.
Chris Sonderby from Meta put it simply. Protecting people from scams is a top priority. He said the operation shows what partnerships can do when they take the fight directly to Asia-based scam centers.
Steven Masada from Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit agreed. Scam networks operate across platforms and borders. Microsoft wants to combine visibility with real-world action.
Leah Bressack from Coinbase made a great point. Blockchain tech fights financial crime better than traditional systems. Bad actors can’t hide. Every transaction leaves a trail.
Lauren Dreyer from Starlink added that abuse is always a risk. But they detect and disable terminals involved in illegal activity. Their terms of use clearly stated that they’re against fraud of any kind.
Why Does this Partnership Matter?
Online scammers never rest, always coming up with new tricks. They jump from app to app. They hide across platforms. One company alone can’t catch them. That’s why this cross-sector effort works. Tech platforms, internet providers, financial institutions, and governments all teamed up.
Police Lieutenant General Jirabhop Bhuridej from the Royal Thai Police called this their third joint operation with Meta. He said the results show real progress. No single agency can solve transnational online fraud alone.
The companies aren’t stopping here. They remain committed to this collaboration. Because protecting people online takes all of us working together. For now, 63 arrests and millions in frozen assets send a clear message. The scammers are on notice. And the good guys are finally sharing notes.
