PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Dozens of attorneys general from across the country, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, are urging Meta to investigate the increase in social media “account takeovers” on its platforms.
Account takeovers have been on the rise. Hackers lock individuals from their accounts and change their passwords, then steal personal information, scam contacts and post harmful content.
In Pennsylvania alone, takeovers increased 270% from 2022 to 2023. In a letter, Attorneys General Michelle Henry of Pennsylvania, Matthew Platkin of New Jersey, Kathleen Jennings of Delaware, and 38 others asked Meta to take action.
The attorneys general requested meetings with Meta leadership to discuss how widespread the takeovers are and what is being done about it. They also asked Meta to increase its investment in preventative measures.
“Being locked out of a Facebook or Instagram account can be catastrophic for account holders who are left helpless as hackers, in some cases, assume their identity,” Henry said in a statement. “We are demanding action from Meta and information that explains the alarming increase in takeover activity. The Office of Attorney General is not Meta’s customer service department.”
Meta recently laid off 11,000 employees, many reportedly from the security, privacy and integrity sector.
In a statement sent to KYW Newsradio, a Meta spokesperson said, "Scammers use every platform available to them and constantly adapt to evade enforcement. We invest heavily in our trained enforcement and review teams and have specialized detection tools to identify compromised accounts and other fraudulent activity. We regularly share tips and tools people can use to protect themselves, provide a means to report potential violations, work with law enforcement and take legal action."
People can file account takeover complaints online via their state’s consumer protection office. They are hyperlinked for each state below:
— Pennsylvania
— New Jersey
— Delaware
Pennsylvanians can also email scams@attorneygeneral.gov or call 1-800-441-2555.