← مقالات وأدلة عن الاحتيال والأمن السيبراني والخصوصية
Celebrity deepfake ads: how to check them and report them
A celebrity selling a miracle cure or guaranteed returns? How to check the ad, report it, and what Meta, the FTC and Brazil's Supreme Court have changed.
A famous TV host touting a diabetes “cure”, a billionaire promising daily returns: many such ads are deepfakes built to push fake products or investment groups.
How big is the problem?
The FTC received more than 1 million impostor-scam reports in 2025 with nearly $3.5 billion in reported losses; almost 30% of people who lost money were first contacted on social media, totaling $2.1 billion. On September 24, 2026 it sought public comment on whether platforms should vet advertisers and remove impersonation ads (FTC). In February 2026 Meta sued groups in Brazil selling fake health products and an entity in China using celebrities to lure people into investment groups (Olhar Digital).
How do you spot a fake celebrity ad?
The FTC advises checking the offer rather than the face: search the name plus the product and “scam”, look for the endorsement on the person's verified channels, ignore fake deadlines, ask a health professional about supplements and remember no investment is guaranteed.
| Red flag | Usually means |
|---|---|
| Cure for a chronic disease | Fake or unapproved product |
| Daily or guaranteed profit | Investment scam |
| Invite to a WhatsApp or Telegram group | Group investment scam |
How do you report it?
- Do not click or share.
- Use the ad's report option and choose scam or fraud.
- Screenshot the advertiser and site.
- Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov; if you paid, call your bank now.
What has changed?
Meta began testing facial matching of public figures against suspected scam ads in October 2024, expanded it to the UK and EU in March 2025 (TechCrunch) and said in 2026 it covers over 500,000 public figures. In Brazil, the Supreme Court presumed platform liability for illegal paid ads unless they act diligently and in time to remove them (Teletime). See also our family code word guide and pig butchering explainer.
المصدر
- FTC — ANPRM sobre plataformas e golpes de impostores (set. 2026)
- FTC — Did a celebrity really endorse that?
- Olhar Digital — Meta processa grupos no Brasil e China (fev. 2026)
- TechCrunch — Meta facial recognition test in the UK (mar. 2025)
- bdnews24 — Meta testing facial recognition against celeb-bait (out. 2024)
- Teletime — STF publica decisão sobre o art. 19 do Marco Civil