Meta Platforms Inc., for example, is under increasing fire for how it has handled scam ads. The company’s own internal documents reveal that the company approximately serves 15 billion of these scam ads to users daily. The social media behemoth says it will make on average at least a tenth of its yearly revenue. That’s nearly $1.6 billion just from advertising things like scams and other forbidden products. Unfortunately, this is just one example of how bad faith actors are undermining Meta’s purported efforts to crack down on fraudulent advertising on its platforms.
We’re proud that Meta is doing something to address this. They’re committing to reducing the number of scam ads reaching consumers in select markets by up to 50 percent by 2025. According to the company’s own internal estimates, scam-related advertisements could make up 10.1 percent of its expected revenue for 2024. This figure has been characterized by internal stakeholders as “very rough and too inclusive.” As Meta continues to face these challenges, tough questions still need to be asked about whether Meta is truly committed to user safety and integrity.
The Scale of the Problem
According to Meta’s own internal documents, 1 in every 15 ads on Facebook is a scam or fraudulent ad. Users of its site are shown, on average, an estimated 15 billion “higher risk” scam ads per day. Meta’s platforms are implicated in a staggering one-third of all successful scams in the U.S. This shocking figure is from a safety team presentation by the company delivered in *May 2025*.
As alarming as these numbers are, there’s something worse about Meta’s advertiser banning spree. The company typically only restricts advertisers if its automated systems predict at least a 95 percent certainty that fraud is occurring. This allows the biggest advertisers ― dubbed “High Value Accounts” to date ― amass more than 500 strikes. Only then too will they be subject to account suspension.
Just last week, Meta banned four advertisers responsible for $67 million in monthly ad revenue. This undersells the public relations nightmare the company is still grappling with as it attempts to combat high-profile scams. For smaller advertisers, being marked for at least eight violations of promoting financial fraud. Only then does Meta permanently ban them.
Controversial Strategies and Responses
Internal documents from 2024 indicate that Meta has struggled to prevent scam ads from being displayed to billions of users. Observers, including the Federal Communications Commission, have sounded alarms about a huge shortfall in investment for automated scam detection, as described in a 2022 joint statement. This raises serious concerns about the company’s commitment to user safety. Equally concerning, it calls into question how effective its measures have been at fighting deceptive advertising.
Andy Stone, Meta’s communications director, defended the company’s strategies. He stated, “We aggressively fight fraud and scams because people on our platforms don’t want this content, legitimate advertisers don’t want it and we don’t want it either.” Stone stressed the importance of the assessment that was done to inform the planned investments in integrity and fraud prevention measures.
“Over the past 18 months, we have reduced user reports of scam ads globally by 58 percent and, so far in 2025, we’ve removed more than 134 million pieces of scam ad content.” – Andy Stone
Stone contested a number of assertions included in the strategic documents. He claimed that they provide a one-sided view that unjustly characterizes Meta’s content moderation strategies to combat fraud and scams.
User Experiences Highlighting Vulnerabilities
User experiences even more vividly paint the unintentional yet harrowing risks that come from scam ads appearing on Meta’s platforms. A recruiting error for the Royal Canadian Air Force became a massive blunder. What happened was she got locked out of her Facebook account because after being a victim of the scam. This case serves as an illustrative reminder of the real-world implications of insufficient guardrails against bad actors committing fraud on social media platforms.
One other user lost around $C40,000 ($43,000) to a crypto scam promoted on one of Meta’s platforms, as well. These tragic incidents continue to highlight the urgent need for users’ protective measures to be improved and enforced.
Despite the avalanche of criticism and scrutiny that Meta has faced, the company still boasts about its bad faith efforts against fraud and scams. The company takes the big hurdle to come seriously. Despite industry perceptions, it is aggressively trying to make the platform safer for users and to drive more meaningful engagement.
Future Directions
Looking ahead, Meta’s goal of reducing scam ads by up to 50 percent in select markets by 2025 indicates a proactive stance toward addressing these concerns. To meet this ambitious goal, we must make targeted, strategic investments where they are most needed. We need to change the culture of our organization—to one that puts user safety first.
As Meta navigates these complex challenges, stakeholders will be watching closely to see how effectively it can balance its financial objectives with the imperative to protect users from scams and fraudulent content. The future of advertising on its platforms depends on two things. Yet it needs to more successfully crack down on scam-related activity, without losing the trust or interest of its users.
