How to Identify and Address Fraudulent Ads on Facebook and Instagram

Preview

To identify and address potentially fraudulent or unethical advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, consider the following steps:

Check Independent Sites: Look for customer feedback on independent review sites like Trustpilot and Google My Business. These platforms are less likely to have fabricated reviews compared to the company's own website.

Preview
Preview
Better Business Bureau: Use the Better Business Bureau’s scam tracker to search for complaints about the company.

Preview
Social Network: Ask friends, family, and your broader social network for their experiences with the same ads. They might have insights or recommendations based on their own purchases.

Preview
Preview

Website Age: Use the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ lookup tool to find out how long the website has been around. Sketchy companies often create new domain names frequently, so be wary of sites created in the past year.

Preview

Contact Customer Service: Reach out to the company through its official channels, such as support email or phone number, and via direct message on the social media platform. Test their responsiveness multiple times to gauge their reliability.

Preview

Return Policy: Ensure the return policy is clear and fair. Be cautious if the policy is vague or overly restrictive, as this could be a red flag.

Political Ads: Be aware of political ads that may not have proper disclaimers. These ads can be misleading and are often used to spread disinformation.
State-Controlled Media: Be cautious of ads from state-controlled media, especially if they are not labeled as political. These ads can be part of propaganda campaigns.

Phishing Emails: Be wary of emails offering verification badges or other enticing offers. These are often phishing attempts to steal your personal information.
Bait-and-Switch: Watch out for ads that promise high-quality products but deliver low-quality or nothing at all. This is a common tactic used by shady advertisers.

Ad Inspiration Libraries: Tools like Foreplay’s ad inspiration library can help you see which ads are performing well and which might be suspicious. These tools often highlight winning ads that have been saved by users, providing a benchmark for what to look for.

Report to Platforms: If you encounter an ad that violates advertising standards, report it to the platform. Both Facebook and Instagram have mechanisms for reporting ads that violate their policies.

Preview

By following these steps, you can better protect yourself from fraudulent or unethical advertisements on social media platforms.

Preview

To identify and address potentially fraudulent or unethical advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, consider the following steps:

Check Independent Sites: Look for customer feedback on independent review sites like Trustpilot and Google My Business. These platforms are less likely to have fabricated reviews compared to the company's own website.

Preview
Preview
Better Business Bureau: Use the Better Business Bureau’s scam tracker to search for complaints about the company.

Preview
Social Network: Ask friends, family, and your broader social network for their experiences with the same ads. They might have insights or recommendations based on their own purchases.

Preview
Preview

Website Age: Use the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ lookup tool to find out how long the website has been around. Sketchy companies often create new domain names frequently, so be wary of sites created in the past year.

Preview

Contact Customer Service: Reach out to the company through its official channels, such as support email or phone number, and via direct message on the social media platform. Test their responsiveness multiple times to gauge their reliability.

Preview

Return Policy: Ensure the return policy is clear and fair. Be cautious if the policy is vague or overly restrictive, as this could be a red flag.

Political Ads: Be aware of political ads that may not have proper disclaimers. These ads can be misleading and are often used to spread disinformation.
State-Controlled Media: Be cautious of ads from state-controlled media, especially if they are not labeled as political. These ads can be part of propaganda campaigns.

Phishing Emails: Be wary of emails offering verification badges or other enticing offers. These are often phishing attempts to steal your personal information.
Bait-and-Switch: Watch out for ads that promise high-quality products but deliver low-quality or nothing at all. This is a common tactic used by shady advertisers.

Ad Inspiration Libraries: Tools like Foreplay’s ad inspiration library can help you see which ads are performing well and which might be suspicious. These tools often highlight winning ads that have been saved by users, providing a benchmark for what to look for.

Report to Platforms: If you encounter an ad that violates advertising standards, report it to the platform. Both Facebook and Instagram have mechanisms for reporting ads that violate their policies.

Preview

By following these steps, you can better protect yourself from fraudulent or unethical advertisements on social media platforms.