Instagram removes 63,000 sextortion accounts in Nigeria.

Instagram owner Meta says it has removed thousands of accounts in Nigeria that were trying to target people in sextortion schemes.

Such scammers typically pose as young women online to trick people into sending sexually explicit material before blackmailing them.

Victims of sextortion crimes have taken their own lives due to the stress, stigma and shame felt after being scammed.

Meta said in a blogpost on Wednesday it had removed about 63,000 accounts that tried to engage with the scams.

The company said it also took down 5,700 Facebook groups in which scammers were offering tips on how to scam people.

Experts and authorities have previously warned social media users to remain aware and alert of the scam’s dangers amid their apparent rise.

In May, 16-year-old Murray Dowey from Dunblane took his own life after being targeted by criminals.