Meta has initiated legal proceedings against individuals and organizations operating three fraudulent networks that employed celebrity photos and AI-generated videos to direct users toward deceptive websites. The firm indicates these operations were headquartered in China and Brazil, with campaigns aimed at audiences in the United States, Japan, and various other nations. Such promotions pushed bogus investment opportunities and counterfeit wellness items.
The tech giant reported filing claims against multiple individuals in Brazil responsible for advertising unauthorized medical goods and digital training programs tied to them. Separately, Meta targeted a firm from China accused of deploying celebrity-endorsed promotions within a broader deceptive plot that enticed participants into phony investment circles. Details remain undisclosed regarding the volume of advertisements placed on Facebook, the extent of user exposure or engagement, or the duration of these activities on the platform.
Advertisements exploiting celebrity likenesses have persistently challenged the company. Coverage by Engadget has highlighted instances of such deceptions on Facebook, often involving figures like Elon Musk and Fox News hosts to peddle fictitious remedies for conditions such as diabetes. Meta's Oversight Board has faulted the corporation for insufficient efforts to curb these frauds. In a recent statement, Meta acknowledged that 'ads crafted to mimic legitimacy can prove challenging to identify.' Furthermore, the company revealed it has integrated over 500,000 prominent personalities and public individuals into a facial identification tool designed to proactively spot fraudulent promotions featuring recognizable faces.
Recent examinations of Meta's approach to dubious advertisers intensified following a Reuters investigation, which disclosed that company analysts once projected up to 10 percent of advertising income might stem from fraudulent activities and prohibited merchandise. The substantial profits derived from questionable sponsors have reportedly delayed Meta's responses to habitual violators.
Beyond the operators of celebrity-likeness scams, Meta announced enhancements to its systems for identifying deceptive ads that employ evasion techniques, previously complicating internal oversight. Additionally, the firm pursued litigation against a Vietnam-origin advertiser alleged to have run fraudulent promotions for steeply reduced products from established labels, such as Longchamp.
Meta has also commenced proceedings against eight ex-partners in its business network, who offered solutions promising to reinstate or otherwise revive suspended accounts. The company warned it may pursue further legal measures, potentially including court actions, should these parties fail to adhere to stop-order directives.
Update, February 26, 2026, 1:16PM PT: This report has been revised to clarify that Meta’s internal projections on advertising income encompassed fraudulent operations and restricted goods.