Meta Sued Over Facebook Scam Ads Targeting Seniors, Vulnerable Users

"County officials claim Meta knowingly allowed scam ads to spread across its platforms, causing financial harm to senior citizens and other vulnerable users. The legal filing references a previous Reuters investigation that reportedly uncovered internal company discussions regarding the scale of scam advertising on Meta's platforms. County officials allege that despite repeated warnings and public criticism, Meta failed to adequately stop repeat offenders from targeting users through sponsored content."

"The lawsuit, led by County Counsel Tony LoPresti, argues that Meta financially benefited from what officials described as a "vast ecosystem of scam ads." According to the complaint, fraudulent advertisers allegedly spent billions of dollars promoting deceptive schemes through Meta's advertising systems. The lawsuit claims the social media giant generates billions of dollars annually from advertising revenue linked to fraudulent promotions while allowing weaknesses in its moderation systems and advertising policies to persist."

"During a press conference, LoPresti stated that local authorities could no longer ignore what they view as harmful practices occurring on some of the world's largest social media platforms. Meta Defends Its Anti-Scam Policies Facebook's parent firm strongly denied the allegations and said it intends to challenge the lawsuit in court. A company spokesperson argued that the claims unfairly misrepresent the company's efforts to combat scams, fraud, and deceptive advertising."

"According to Meta, the company removed more than 159 million scam advertisements last year while also launching additional safety tools and cooperating with law enforcement agencies worldwide. Meta said it intends to challenge the lawsuit in court, denying that its policies and systems failed to address scam and deceptive advertising."

Santa Clara County filed a lawsuit accusing Meta of profiting from fraudulent advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. County officials claim Meta knowingly allowed scam ads to spread, leading to financial harm for senior citizens and other vulnerable users. The complaint cites internal concerns and prior reporting about the scale of scam advertising on Meta’s platforms. It alleges that despite warnings and public criticism, Meta failed to stop repeat offenders from targeting users through sponsored content. The lawsuit states that fraudulent advertisers spent billions of dollars promoting deceptive schemes through Meta’s advertising systems. It further alleges that Meta generates billions annually from advertising revenue tied to fraudulent promotions while moderation and advertising policy weaknesses persist. Meta denies the allegations, says it removed over 159 million scam ads, and claims it added safety tools and cooperated with law enforcement.

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