Meta is being sued over scam ads

We have been writing articles over the last 4 months highlighting Meta's extent of scam advertisements across WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook and now a Rhode Island attorney General Peter Neronha is suing Meta in Providence Superior Court for "unlawfully profiting from and participating in the creation of billions of dollars in scam advertising" according to Reuters & Claims Journal.

Meta assures it's users the platforms are working diligently to protect them. It is fighting the lawsuit and has said it regularly works with law enforcement to disrupt scam networks.

This will be the first scam-related case where Meta is being called to answer for its behaviour by a US state.

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Meta has allegedly violated Rhode Island state law and Rhode Island seeks "restitution to consumers, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains and a judicial order requiring the company to address, rather than profit from, scam ads it develops and delivers on its platforms."

State attorney Neronha said in a press release: “As alleged, Meta knowingly exposed vulnerable users to fraud and scams, and made enormous profits in doing so. When companies, big or small, take advantage of Rhode Island consumers, this office will do everything within our authority to hold them to account.”

We will update you as the case unfolds.

This article is for information purposes only.

We spot scams like this every week in The Scam Hound newsletter — one email, every Tuesday, free. → Subscribe