Meta steps up Taiwan anti-scam efforts

Meta加強台灣防詐騙措施

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Meta removed more than 3.1 million scam ads targeting Taiwan and disabled over 40,000 advertising accounts linked to fraud from January through mid-July, the company said Thursday.

Meta said it is working with the Ministry of Digital Affairs, Ministry of the Interior, and Criminal Investigation Bureau by sharing intelligence and using technology to identify and disrupt scams, per UDN. In the first half of the year, it enhanced reviews of high-risk advertisers and strengthened its systems for detecting emerging scam tactics.

Meta Vice President of Public Policy for Asia-Pacific Rafael Frankel said combating scams requires rapid responses as fraud groups adjust their tactics, per CNA. He said Meta will continue investing in technology and working with the government and other sectors to improve online safety.

Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-ching (林宜敬) said Meta had removed more than 10 million scam ads targeting the nation from March 2024 through July this year. He said Meta has also used AI to detect scams and verification requirements to make it harder for fraudsters to operate.

Meta said it has recently strengthened verification and reviews of high-risk advertising accounts, allowing it to identify suspicious accounts and restrict their ability to place ads. The company said the measures have raised barriers for scam groups attempting to evade its safeguards.

Meta also uses suspicious information provided by the government to expand investigations across its platforms. It has taken down more than 99,000 scam posts from Facebook groups and disabled more than 2,300 Threads accounts.