Leaked internal documents have exposed a shocking revelation about Meta, suggesting the company earned an estimated $16 billion annually from scam and fraudulent advertisements across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Despite publicly claiming to prioritize user safety and ad transparency, these documents show a deep conflict between Meta’s financial gains and its enforcement of ad integrity policies.
According to the leaked materials reviewed by Reuters, Meta projected that nearly 10% of its total ad revenue in 2024 came from deceptive or banned ads. The documents reveal that even after removing 134 million scam ads, Meta continued to profit from suspicious advertisers. Internal systems allegedly allowed scam advertisers to operate until they were 95% confirmed as fraudulent, leaving significant loopholes for manipulation. The company reportedly charged higher ad rates to advertisers suspected of scams, effectively profiting from misconduct while claiming to discourage it.
Regulatory bodies including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and UK’s financial watchdog are investigating Meta’s ad operations. A 2025 internal presentation indicated that Meta’s platforms were involved in nearly one-third of all successful online scams in the U.S. Critics argue that Meta’s inaction has made its ecosystem a safe haven for digital fraudsters, impacting millions of users worldwide.
Meta’s spokesperson disputed the findings, stating that the numbers were misinterpreted and included legitimate ads. However, the company admitted that scam ad exposure remains a challenge. Meta aims to reduce scam-related revenue from 10.1% in 2024 to 5.8% by 2027, but skeptics say the company’s enforcement priorities are profit-driven rather than user-focused. With rising global scrutiny and potential billion-dollar fines, Meta finds itself balancing between regulatory compliance and revenue preservation. As it invests heavily in AI and virtual reality, the question remains: can Meta truly protect users while maintaining its massive ad profits?
