Report: 70% of Facebook ads promote scams

WXIN/WTTV -- As if we need a reminder to be wary of ads on Facebook and other social media, a recent report by the Wall Street Journal claims 70% of new ads posted on Meta platforms promote scams, poor quality products or illicit goods.




According to the report, most of the scammers using Facebook, Instagram and other platforms are the work of southeast Asian crime networks. Advertising scams on social media often contain links that will take you to malicious websites designed to steal your money or information, or trick you into buying a low-quality product at inflated cost.




While the conclusions of the report may be shocking to some, it should come as no surprise that that crooks are using social media to target victims who think they're finding good deals and discovering new products.




If you're like me, you hardly trust any advertising on social media any more. Companies like Meta claim they are constantly working to filter out bogus ads and malicious users. According to the watchdogs at Scamicide, you can do your own filtering to protect yourself while scrolling.




You can start by checking the profile page of whoever is posting or sharing the ad to see if they have a lot of followers. A large following could indicate a significant amount of time building credibility among customers.




Keep in mind that legitimate businesses will have their own website. It's a good idea to navigate to that directly through a web browser instead of clicking a link in an ad. That link may take you to a malicious copycat site.




If an ad wants you to pay with wired funds, gift cards, Venmo or Zelle, that should set off your scam alarm. Zelle is commonly used by crooks on Facebook Marketplace. Scamicide says Venmo and Zelle should never be used for commercial transactions. Those peer-to-peer money sharing apps are best for when you want to send money directly to a family member or friend.  Also, the only people who want to get paid in gift cards are scammers.




The Federal Trade Commission has more tips on avoiding social media scams here.



via: https://fox59.com/news/report-70-of-facebook-ads-promote-scams/