US senators urge probe of scam ads on Facebook and Instagram

Washington, Nov. 24, 2025 — U.S. Senators Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal have called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate Meta Platforms over what they describe as widespread scam advertising on Facebook and Instagram. According to their letter, internal documents highlight that Meta may have earned as much as 10 percent of its 2024 revenue — roughly $16 billion — from ads linked to scams and illicit goods.

The senators cited cases involving ads for gambling, cryptocurrency schemes, deepfake political impersonations and fraudulent government benefit offers. They criticized Meta for reportedly slashing safety staff while scaling up investment in generative AI, suggesting the company is prioritizing growth over user protection.

Hawley and Blumenthal claim that some fraud on Meta’s platforms may be tied to organized cybercrime networks operating abroad. They are urging regulators to push Meta to return ill-gotten ad revenue, impose fines, and stop serving suspicious high-risk ads.

Meta responded by calling the allegations “exaggerated and wrong,” and said it has made notable progress in reducing scam reports, including a 58 percent drop in user complaints over the past 18 months.