Dodgy advertisers continue to operate, despite being found guilty of fraud
Tali writes about scams and consumer rights for Which? delving into fraud, technology and consumer rights topics to keep readers safe and empowered.
When we find scam adverts in our investigations, Which? reports them to the platform and they're usually (eventually) taken down. However, sometimes the advertiser behind the scam remains active.
Scam adverts are thriving on social media, and when one is taken down, another swiftly replaces it. This whack-a-mole situation isn’t helped by the advertisers behind them being allowed to continue to operate, even after their initial dodgy ads are taken down.
Below, we reveal three scam advertisers who have published scam ads after being reported and examine what is being done, or not done, to stop them.
Dodgy menopause adverts
A series of AI-generated deepfake videos were used to promote a cream marketed to women to 'balance hormones' by an advertiser on Meta.
The adverts were published on Facebook and Instagram, and our suspicions grew due to the company not being listed as located anywhere, yet its Meta advertiser profile being managed by accounts in Thailand, Colombia and the Philippines.
Reviews on Trustpilot also complain of receiving a dodgy product that didn't meet its advertised description.
Which? reported one of the adverts using the platform's reporting process, and the ads on the account were banned for ‘unacceptable business practices’.
But then a new account with a very similar name popped up. The advertiser uses the same logo, links to the same website and has numerous adverts promoting the same product on Meta.
At the time of writing, the new account had a reach, which is the number of Meta accounts that saw the advert at least once, of an estimated 23,392 from 18 live adverts.
Investment scams
A series of scam adverts posted on Facebook and Instagram impersonated TV presenter Matt Allwright as well as the BBC and Lloyds Bank to peddle an investment scam.
When Which? reported it, it was removed the following day.
However, the advertiser remained active and published a new version of the advert that also impersonated the BBC.
The scam advert led to a fake BBC news article promoting an investment scheme advertised as being fuelled by technology hidden from the British public by banks. It asks you to register with your personal details to sign up for the investment.
This advert has now been removed, but the advertiser is still operating.
Weight loss sham
Earlier this year, Which? warned of a worrying scam promoted on YouTube using deepfake videos and false medical endorsements to sell weight loss patches.
Which? reported these ads directly to Google, which owns YouTube, and they were taken down for ‘violating its ads policies.’ However, the advertiser continues to operate and has promoted more suspicious ads linked to a weight loss patch.
The new adverts lead to a website that uses stolen images to promote its product and claims that universities researched the weight loss patch, but there is no evidence for this.
What is being done about scam adverts?
Which? has been campaigning for tech platforms to take responsibility and stop the scourge of scams on their platforms. Sadly, right now it seems there's little that is being done to rein in these scams.
Under the current draft of the Online Safety Act’s fraudulent advertising codes, the regulator Ofcom will require tech platforms to ban bad actors who post scam ads and prevent perpetrators from creating new accounts.
However, these rules are still being drafted, and these and other rules for social media platforms when it comes to keeping scam ads and advertisers off of their platforms will likely not be in force until late 2027.
Which? believes these examples - and numerous others - demonstrate the importance of a strong user banning requirement in Ofcom’s final codes, and of robust enforcement by the regulator. The Online Safety Act gives the regulator the power to fine companies 10% of global turnover or £18 million, whichever is greater.
Which? shared this research with Meta and YouTube. Meta told us that it is investigating the content we brought to its attention.
A spokesperson from Google, YouTube’s parent company, told us: ‘We expressly prohibit ads that scam people by misrepresenting information about products or services and invest heavily in detecting and enforcing against scams. Upon review, we have suspended the advertiser account for violating our ads policies.’
How to spot a scam ad on social media
Some signs that an advert on social media is a scam are:
- Offers or promotions that sound too good to be true.
- Pressure tactics, such as being asked to make quick decisions.
- Celebrities supposedly promoting products or investments – always double-check endorsements.
- Be wary of misinformation, especially apparent health cures.
- Ads that lead to websites which ask for your personal and financial information.
On social media, you can report content by selecting the three dots in the top right corner.
You can report scams to Report Fraud or call the police on 101 if you’re in Scotland. If you have money stolen by a scam, contact your bank immediately using the number on the back of your card.
