Scam advertisers reported by Which? kept posting new ads
Meta and Google removed scam ads that Which? reported, but the advertisers behind them went on to post new ads, one of them from a new account.
Advertisers behind scam ads on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube kept posting new ads after the platforms removed the ones Which? had reported, Which? said on 12 October 2026. Which? described 3 examples of scam ads it had found and reported to the platforms.
In the first, deepfake videos in ads on Facebook and Instagram promoted a cream claiming to balance hormones during the menopause. Meta removed the ads for breaking its rules on "unacceptable business practices". A new account then appeared with a similar name and the same logo, linking to the same website. When Which? wrote its article, the new account had 18 live ads. Which? estimated they had reached 23,392 accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
In the second, fake investment ads on Facebook and Instagram impersonated TV presenter Matt Allwright, the BBC and Lloyds Bank. Meta removed one of the ads the day after Which? reported it. The advertiser then posted a new ad impersonating the BBC, which linked to a fake BBC news article. That ad was later removed, but Which? said the advertiser was still operating.
In the third, ads on YouTube used deepfake videos and false medical endorsements to sell weight-loss patches. Google, which owns YouTube, removed the ads for breaking its ads policies. The advertiser later posted more ads for a weight-loss patch.
What the companies say
Meta said it was investigating the content Which? had raised. Google said it had suspended the advertiser's account for breaking its ads policies.
What it means for consumers
Anyone who sees a scam ad can report it to the platform, as our guide on reporting content to a social media platform explains. Paid-for online scam ads can also be reported to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) using its scam ad reporting form. The ASA passes reports to platforms and ad networks so the ads can be taken down.
People who have already paid a scammer should contact their bank straight away. Our guide on checking a financial firm also explains what to do next. People can then report it to Report Fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101.
What happens next
Under the Online Safety Act, the largest social media sites and search engines will have to tackle paid-for scam ads, but these duties are not in force yet. Ofcom set out proposed rules on 10 July 2026, which we reported at the time. The proposals include making platforms ban advertisers who post scam ads and stop them opening new accounts.
Which? wants Ofcom's final rules to keep a strong requirement for platforms to ban scam advertisers and stop them opening new accounts. It also wants Ofcom to enforce the rules firmly.
Ofcom plans to publish its final decisions by mid-2027 at the latest. The rules take effect once Parliament approves them, and Which? said this is unlikely to happen before late 2027. Once the rules are in force, platforms that don't follow them could face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their global revenue, whichever is greater.