Ex-Meta Employees Tackle Social Media Scam Ad Flood

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Ex-Meta Employees Tackle Social Media Scam Ad Flood

Billionaire Dutch TV producer John de Mol’s legal battle with Facebook in 2019 marked a significant turning point in the fight against online scams. De Mol accused the social media giant of allowing scammers to misuse his image in fraudulent advertisements. In response, Meta sent Rob Leathern to Amsterdam to address these concerns and engage with the media over the issue.

Meta’s Approach to Scam Ads

Rob Leathern, who served as the head of Meta’s Business Integrity Unit, was a prominent figure in the company’s efforts against deceptive advertising. He emphasized the relentless nature of those pushing scam ads, highlighting their significant funding and evolving tactics. Under his leadership, Meta implemented several initiatives:

Development of the Meta Ad Library, a free and searchable database of digital ads.
Launch of identity verification for political advertisers.

Challenges in Combatting Scam Ads

Since leaving Meta in late 2020, Leathern has expressed growing concern over the escalation of scam ads, particularly due to advancements in technology such as deepfakes and artificial intelligence. He noted that major platforms have not invested adequately in teams or technology necessary to combat these fraudulent activities.

“The technology and the progress has stagnated in the last five years,” Leathern remarked, pointing to a lack of clarity regarding the current state of scams online. Without objective assessments, understanding the full extent of the issue remains challenging.

Collective Efforts Against Deceptive Ads

In response to these alarming trends, Leathern has partnered with Rob Goldman, former Vice President of Ads at Meta, to establish CollectiveMetrics.org. This nonprofit is dedicated to enhancing transparency in digital advertising and aims to combat deceptive ads effectively. Their mission includes:

Collecting and analyzing data on the prevalence of online scam ads.
Bringing transparency to the often opaque advertising systems that yield substantial revenue for tech companies.

The Global Impact of Scams

As scammers become more sophisticated, the financial impact of these crimes has surged. The Global Anti-Scam Alliance recently reported staggering losses, estimating victims lost at least a trillion dollars globally in the previous year. According to their 2025 Global State of Scams report, 23 percent of individuals have reported losing money to scams.

Many victims do not come forward, often due to feelings of shame or uncertainty about whom to report to. Among those who did report, a significant number expressed frustration: over a third noted that platforms took no action following their complaints.