Facebook Scam Adverts- The Times

7th March 2026
Posted in Facebook scam, Fraud Awareness, Legal Help, The Times

We were asked by The Times newspaper to talk about the problem of Facebook scam adverts.

The newspaper reported that social media platforms made £430 million last year from adverts taken out by scammers targeting users in the UK.

Research by the bank Revolut said that across Europe an estimated 10 per cent of social media advertising revenue came from fraudulent ads in 2025.

This follows on from a Reuters report claiming that Meta knowingly took billions of pounds from Facebook and Instagram scam adverts.

We were able to put The Times in contact with a Facebook scam advert victim who had lost £254,000 to a social media post that featured a deepfake AI of money guru Martin Lewis recommending an investment opportunity.

Our client spoke anonymously to the newspaper about the devastating affect the scam had had on his life.

Martin Richardson, senior partner at Richardson Hartley Law, told The Times: “I can’t imagine any other outlet in the UK being allowed to present so many fraudulent, targeted adverts. If a newspaper or TV channel were getting a significant percentage of its income by showing fraudulent adverts there would, rightly, be calls for it to be shut down.

“We see first-hand the way these scams are ruining people’s lives, leading to family break-ups, depression, severe anxiety and financial ruin. Fraud is endemic in this country, and no one is grasping the nettle. There needs to be urgent reform to stop social media firms from inadvertently helping to facilitate scams.”

Read the The Times story in full: ‘I lost £254,000 to a Facebook scam’

If you have fallen victim to a Facebook scam advert contact us today to see how we can help.