Deepfake political scam ads surge on Meta platforms, watchdog says

Core Insights - The article highlights a significant rise in online fraud targeting US consumers, particularly through political scam ads on Meta's platforms [3][9] - A report from the Tech Transparency Project reveals that 63 scam advertisers spent a total of $49 million on Facebook and Instagram, primarily targeting seniors with misleading ads about government benefits [4][5] Group 1: Online Fraud and Scams - Surveys indicate a growing number of American adults are experiencing scams or impersonation attacks, with a notable increase in complaints from older adults [9][10] - The Federal Trade Commission reported a more than four-fold increase in complaints from older adults losing $10,000 or more to scammers since 2020 [10] Group 2: Meta's Role and Response - The Tech Transparency Project identified that scammers are exploiting advances in AI technology and Meta's lax content moderation to reach new victims [5][6] - Despite Meta's policies against scams, the report states that nearly half of the identified scam advertisers continued to run ads even after being flagged for policy violations [7] Group 3: Specific Examples of Scams - One notable scam involved an advertiser using a deepfake video of Donald Trump falsely promising stimulus checks, targeting individuals over 65 across more than 20 states [8][9] - The misleading ad directed users to a website claiming to offer a "FREE $5,000 Check from Trump," which was part of a broader trend of bogus stimulus offers circulating on social media [9]