The reporting process
FacebookFacebook has launched a new tool for reporting scam ads in the UK, and says it may roll it out to other countries if it works.
The tool was created as part of a legal settlement with British financial expert and broadcaster Martin Lewis, who runs the Moneysavingexpert.com financial advice site.
It allows users to report an ad they believe to be fraudulent or misleading by clicking three dots in the top right-hand corner of every ad. This, says the firm, will alert a dedicated team within the company that will examine the ad and, if appropriate, take it down.
Under the agreement, Facebook has also promised to give £3 million to the charity network Citizens Advice to help victims of online fraudsters specialist advice, either online, on the phone or face-to-face. As well as scam ads, the service will also help with other common scams such as antivirus and fake invoice messages; website scams like copycat sites; and investment scams that involve buying non-existent stocks, shares and other investments such as rare wine or art.
"Scam ads are an industry-wide problem caused by criminals and have no place on Facebook. Through our work with Martin Lewis, we’re taking a market leading position and our new reporting tool and dedicated team are important steps to stop the misuse of our platform," says Steve Hatch, Facebook's vice president for Northern Europe.
"Prevention is also key. Our £3 million donation to Citizens Advice will not only help those who have been impacted by scammers, but raise awareness of how to avoid scams too."
Lewis sued Facebook for defamation after discovering that adverts for various financial products and services were featuring his photo and name, often with a fake endorsement. Despite numerous attempts to have the ads taken down, they continued to appear.
“The UK faces an epidemic of online scam ads – they’re everywhere. Yet disgracefully there’s little effective law or regulation to prevent them, and official enforcement is poor to non-existent, as these criminals are usually based outside of the EU," he says.
"Today should be the start of real improvement. The aim is to tap the power of what I’m dubbing ‘social policing’ to fight these scams. Millions of people know a scam when they see it, and millions of others don’t. So now, I’d ask all who recognise them to use the new Facebook reporting tool, to help protect those who don’t – which includes many who are vulnerable."
For now, the tool is available only in the UK. However, a Facebook spokeswoman says the company is 'certainly not ruling out the possibility of taking something like this to other markets if it works well'.
There's certainly a need: just last month, the company was forced to remove a series of fake bitcoin ads featuring the crown prince of Abu Dhabi. Actress Jennifer Anniston and, cheekily, Mark Zuckerberg's wife Priscilla Chan have also had their images hijacked for scam ads.
