Reuters reporting based on internal Meta documents found a substantial share of platform advertisements were associated with scams or prohibited goods, and that scam advertising materially contributed to revenue. The disclosure renewed regulatory and industry scrutiny of how major social platforms enable investment and romance scams and other fraud vectors.

Reporting based on internal documents revealed that a nontrivial portion of advertised content on Meta platforms was linked to fraudulent schemes, deceptive investment offers and prohibited goods, and that these ads generated material revenue. The documents showed company estimates and internal debates over the scale of scam-related ads, the difficulty of automated detection, and the monetization pathways that allowed malicious advertisers to profit. The revelations prompted calls from regulators and consumer advocates for stronger ad vetting, improved transparency around advertiser identities, and faster takedown processes. Industry stakeholders highlighted challenges in balancing rapid ad delivery with fraud prevention, noting that bad actors exploit ad systems, affiliate networks and layered landing pages to mask fraud. The coverage has spurred renewed internal and external efforts to tighten ad controls, enhance cross‑platform sharing of threat intelligence, and consider policy interventions to reduce platform-enabled harms.