Facebook is facing renewed criticism from users after several advertisements promoting so-called fraud-recovery services appeared across the platform and, according to users, remained active even after being reported for violating advertising rules.

The ads in question claim to help victims recover money lost to online scams—an increasingly common form of secondary fraud in which scammers target people already suffering losses.

Cybersecurity experts warn that these “recovery” schemes often operate by exploiting the emotional vulnerability of victims who are desperate to retrieve stolen funds.

Tech Business News personally reported four of these ads over the past week. However, Facebook declined and refused to remove them, stating that the promotions did not violate the platform’s policies.

Users say the ads appeared to be part of large-scale advertising campaigns, raising concerns that revenue from paid promotions may be influencing moderation decisions.

Facebook has not commented on those specific allegations, and there is currently no public evidence showing why the ads were allowed to remain.

According to the BBC in 2021, Google had failed to remove 34% of the scam adverts reported to it, compared with 26% at Facebook, the study indicated.

It also found:

• 15% of those surveyed had fallen victim to a scam advert and reported it

• of these, 27% had been on Facebook and 19% on Google

• 43% of victims did not report the scam to the technology companies

Meta Misses the Mark: Facebook Leaves Reported Scam Ads Untouched in 2025

Tech Business News says it has spent much of 2025 flagging scam advertisements on Facebook—more than 50 so far—only to watch every single one continue to flourish on the platform as if nothing happened.

According to the publication’s editor-in-chief, whenever the scams are reported, the response from Facebook is always the same: the ads “did not violate policy” and therefore won’t be removed.

With scam campaigns still running uninterrupted, the situation has sparked growing frustration—and no shortage of dark humor. Critics now joke that Facebook seems to be competing with the scammers themselves, acting less like a watchdog and more like an inattentive landlord who keeps cashing the rent.

Observers have jokingly suggested that the scams seem to be performing so well that Facebook’s parent company, Meta, might consider them part of the “extended revenue family.”

While there’s no evidence of that, critics say Facebook’s inaction makes it look like the platform is rolling out a red carpet for fraudsters instead of users.

For now, the scams persist, the reports pile up, and the joke writes itself—leaving Tech Business News and its readers wondering whether Facebook’s “Remove Ad” button is purely decorative in 2025.

Tech Business News’ editor-in-chief also says it’s time for the Australian Government to step in, arguing that regulators should fine Meta $1 million for every reported scam ad that the platform fails to remove.

A Growing Problem

Fraud-recovery scams have been on the rise globally, prompting warnings from consumer-protection agencies. Scammers are now increasingly using AI-generated videos featuring professional-looking spokespeople, adding another layer of credibility to their schemes.

These operations often rely on polished branding, urgent messaging, and promises of guaranteed success—tactics designed to create a false sense of legitimacy and trust.

Critics argue that major platforms should be especially vigilant in removing such ads because they target individuals who have already been victimised once, making them particularly vulnerable to secondary scams.

After engaging with the operators behind several of the ads, it became clear that the individuals responding to inquiries were all communicating from Nigeria.

While this does not, on its own, confirm the full scope or origin of the operation, the consistent pattern in responses and contact details suggests that the scams are being coordinated from that region.