国际执法机构和包括Meta在内的主要科技公司周二表示，他们在西非破坏了在线诈骗网络，逮捕了28人，并救出了117名人口贩卖受害者。
International law enforcement agencies and major tech companies, including Meta, said Tuesday they disrupted online scam networks in West Africa, arresting 28 people and rescuing 117 trafficking victims.
为何重要：当局多年来一直在针对东南亚广泛分布的诈骗园区。现在他们正将这些努力扩展到西非，那里类似的犯罪网络正在全球范围内欺骗受害者。
Why it matters: Authorities have spent years targeting sprawling scam compounds in Southeast Asia. Now they're expanding those efforts to West Africa, where similar criminal networks are defrauding victims around the world.
推动新闻：上周，司法部、FBI和英国国家犯罪署联合了15家科技公司以及来自10个国家的执法机构，开展首次专门针对西非诈骗网络的协同行动。
Driving the news: The Justice Department, FBI and British National Crime Agency teamed up with 15 tech companies and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries last week in the first coordinated operation focused specifically on West African scam networks.
美国司法部长珍妮·皮罗在媒体通话中告诉记者，该行动始于Meta的线索，Meta帮助调查人员识别犯罪网络并协调执法行动。
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told reporters during a media call that the operation began with a tip from Meta, which helped investigators identify criminal networks and coordinate enforcement actions.
其他参与的公司包括Adobe、Binance、Coinbase、Cyjax、Elliptic、Chainalysis、Flashpoint、Google、Meta、Microsoft、OpenAI、Silent Push、Starlink和TRM Labs。
Other participating companies included Adobe, Binance, Coinbase, Cyjax, Elliptic, Chainalysis, Flashpoint, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Silent Push, Starlink and TRM Labs.
调查人员自10月6日起在英国国家犯罪署伦敦总部聚集，以交换有关诈骗基础设施、犯罪运营者和金融交易的情报。
Investigators gathered at the United Kingdom's National Crime Agency headquarters in London beginning Oct. 6 to exchange intelligence about scam infrastructure, criminal operators and financial transactions.
他们怎么说：“我们不仅仅是试图阻止个别诈骗，”FBI刑事部副助理局长马修·弗洛伊德对记者说。“我们旨在拆除背后的犯罪企业。”按数字计：Meta表示，它删除了超过370万个与西非诈骗网络相关的Facebook和Instagram账户、页面和群组。
What they're saying: "We are not simply trying to stop individual scams," Matthew Floyd, deputy assistant director in the FBI's criminal division, told reporters. "We intend to dismantle the criminal enterprises behind them." By the numbers: Meta said it removed more than 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages and groups linked to West African scam networks.
当局在加纳逮捕了19人，在尼日利亚逮捕了9人，并在两国共查获356台电子设备。
Authorities arrested 19 people in Ghana and nine in Nigeria, seizing 356 electronic devices across the two countries.
根据司法部的说法，参与的公司识别出与这些网络相关的至少1100万美元的潜在可冻结资金。
Participating companies identified at least $11 million in potentially freezable funds tied to the networks, according to DOJ.
据Coinbase透露，该公司还确认了65名正在遭受诈骗的受害者，并成功避免了超过41.5万美元的潜在经济损失。
Coinbase also identified more than 65 active scam victims and prevented more than $415,000 in potential losses, according to the company.
背景概况：此次行动主要针对尼日利亚、加纳及其他西非国家的诈骗团伙。与东南亚地区的诈骗集团相比，这些西非团伙的规模通常较小且组织结构更为分散。
The big picture: The operation targeted scam networks in Nigeria, Ghana and other West African countries, where criminal operations tend to be smaller and more decentralized than those in Southeast Asia.
此次行动是在9月下旬加纳展开的一系列打击行动之后实施的。随着执法部门加大力度打击针对美国民众的海外诈骗网络，此类行动还将持续进行。
The operation followed a separate series of raids in Ghana in late September, as authorities expand their efforts to dismantle overseas scam compounds targeting Americans.
威胁现状：西非诈骗团伙采用多种手段实施诈骗，包括虚假招聘信息、婚恋诈骗，以及冒充执法人员和军方人员行骗。
Threat level: West African scam networks use a range of schemes to steal money, including fraudulent job offers, romance scams, and impersonation of law enforcement and military personnel.
相关官员在媒体通气会上指出，与那些以加密货币投资诈骗为主的东南亚大型诈骗集团不同，西非诈骗团伙的手法更为多样。
Unlike the sprawling scam compounds in Southeast Asia, which often focus on cryptocurrency investment fraud, West African operations tend to rely on a broader mix of schemes, officials told reporters during a media call.
部分诈骗分子甚至将目标对准了曾经的受害者，承诺只要支付一定费用就能帮他们追回损失资金。
Some scammers even targeted previous fraud victims, promising to recover their lost money in exchange for upfront fees.
深入观察：此次打击行动还揭露了部分网络诈骗团伙背后的人口贩卖活动。
Zoom in: The crackdown also exposed the human trafficking operations behind some online scam networks.
执法部门称，他们解救了117名被非法拘禁在加纳某住宅区内、被迫参与诈骗活动的人员。
Authorities said they rescued 117 people who were being held against their will in a residential compound in Ghana and forced to participate in scams.
后续安排：据官方介绍，这些受害者长期遭受营养不良及身心虐待，目前正等待被遣返回尼日利亚。涉嫌实施绑架与虐待的嫌疑人已被逮捕，即将接受司法审判。
What's next: The victims, who were subjected to malnutrition and physical and psychological abuse, are now awaiting repatriation to Nigeria, according to authorities. Their alleged captors were arrested and are facing prosecution.