Full Breakdown
FTC Report Highlights $2.1 Billion Loss to Social Media Scams in 2025, Meta Platforms Under Scrutiny
4/29/2026, 2:32:40 AM
Surge
FTC data indicate U.S. consumers lost $2.1 billion to scams that began on social-media platforms in 2025, an eight-fold rise from 2020. About 30 % of reported losses started on social media.
Platforms
Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp were the main channels. FTC data attribute $794 million in losses to Facebook, $425 million to WhatsApp, and $234 million to Instagram. Website and app ads caused $1.1 billion in losses.
Numbers
FTC reports $134 million in social-media losses in 2019 and $117 million in the first half of 2020, after which losses accelerated to $2.1 billion in 2025. Shopping scams hit over 40 % of victims; romance scams affected about 60 %. Meta delivered up to 15 billion high-risk scam ads daily, generating roughly $7 billion. Reuters reported $18 billion in revenue from Chinese advertisers, nearly one-fifth tied to prohibited content.
Response
Meta reported removal of over 159 million scam ads last year and a 55 % drop in reported scam-ad incidents per view. It is adding new technology and advanced detection tools, expanding advertiser verification, and publishing guidance in a Scam Prevention Hub. The FTC advises users to limit post visibility, avoid letting online contacts direct investment choices, and to research companies using the terms “scam” or “complaint” before buying.
Criticism
Reuters found Meta serves up to 15 billion high-risk ads daily, many linked to scams, illegal gambling, and pornography. Chinese advertisers, whose ads are not blocked by the Chinese government, contributed about $18 billion in revenue, with nearly one-fifth tied to such prohibited content.
Impact
The scale of losses underscores the importance of consumer vigilance and highlights the challenges platforms face in preventing fraud across their advertising ecosystems.
Conflicts
FTC data show phone, email, and text scams cost $2.3 billion in 2025, surpassing the $2.1 billion loss tied to social-media scams, but the overlap between categories is unclear.
Quotes
- “We aggressively combat scams across our platforms with strong default protections and advanced detection systems. Last year, we removed over 159 million scam ads and reduced how often people reported scam ads per ad view by over 55%.” — Meta spokesperson, Fortune
- “We’re continuing to invest in new technology—including tools to combat securities investment and celeb-bait scams—and now prohibit U.S. financial services ads from linking to messaging services. We also are expanding advertiser verification, and publish resources in our Scam Prevention Hub to help people spot and avoid scams.” — Meta spokesperson, Fortune
- “The FTC advises users to limit who can see their social media posts and contacts and never let someone they met online to direct their investment choices.” — FTC guidance
- “Meta shows users as many as 15 billion ‘high-risk’ scam ads per day, generating about $7 billion annually.” — Reuters
