Rhode Island becomes first state to sue Meta over scam ads

Attorney General Peter Neronha sued Meta in Providence Superior Court, saying the company tolerated widespread scam ads on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp and sometimes charged suspected fraudsters higher ad rates instead of blocking them. The suit cites Meta's own internal estimate of about 15 billion "higher risk" scam ads shown every day, and the Center for Countering Digital Hate found nearly 94,000 scam ads on Meta platforms, many aimed at older people. The state wants penalties, restitution for consumers, and a court order forcing Meta to act.

What to do: Treat every social media ad as unverified. Before you buy, invest, or call a number from an ad, look the company up yourself.

Source: Reuters, Oct 22

This story was part of The Fraud Briefing's Top 5 for the week of October 19, 2026. Get it in your inbox every week: subscribe here. Watch the 20-second version on YouTube at @thefraudbriefing.