- The tech giant files lawsuits targeting scam advertisers exploiting AI to create fraudulent celebrity endorsements on Facebook and Instagram.
- Brazilian lawsuits accuse advertisers of using deepfakes of a prominent physician for unapproved healthcare product ads.
- Chinese and Vietnamese advertisers are sued for fraudulent investment schemes and luxury goods scams targeting global users.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has initiated legal proceedings against multiple individuals and entities in Brazil and China for utilizing sophisticated AI-powered deepfakes to defraud users.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a formal statement released on Thursday, February 26, 2026, Meta announced it is suing four specific advertisers who leveraged the likenesses of well-known celebrities and brands to promote fraudulent products and services.
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This move underscores the intensifying battle between major tech firms and criminal syndicates using generative AI to produce highly realistic, deceptive content.
In Brazil, the lawsuits target B&B Suplementos e Cosmeticos, Brites Academia de Treinamento, and two individuals, Vitor Lourenco de Souza and Milena Luciani Sanchez.
These parties are accused of operating a scam that used deepfakes of a prominent Brazilian physician to advertise unauthorized healthcare products.
Meta’s investigation further revealed that Brites Academia de Treinamento was actively selling courses to teach others how to utilize these fraudulent techniques.
Prominent Brazilian oncologist, Drauzio Varella, one of the figures impersonated, criticized Meta for not doing enough, stating that while legal action is a step forward, it is merely “a drop in the ocean of fraud” facilitated by the platform’s reach.
The legal action also extends to China, where Meta has filed a lawsuit against Shenzhen Yunzheng Technology.
The company is accused of running “celeb-bait” ads targeting users in the United States and Japan to lure them into fraudulent investment groups.
Additionally, Meta sued a Vietnamese entity, Ly Van Lam, for running deceptive advertisements promoting fake luxury handbags, specifically targeting brands such as Longchamp.
These lawsuits are part of Meta’s broader “multi-layered approach” to combat fraud, which includes investing in new AI technology designed to detect “cloaking”, a technique used by scammers to circumvent review processes.
Meta reported that these efforts, combined with disrupted criminal networks, led to a decline of over 50% in scam ads on its platforms over the preceding 15 months.
The company aims to establish tougher legal precedents to deter the industrial-scale fraud enabled by advanced deepfake technology.
