You know those deeply suspicious ads that somehow keep hijacking your feed? The ones promising guaranteed investment returns, deepfake celebrity-endorsed crypto schemes, or “secret” money-making tricks that look way too good to be true?
A new legal group action in the UK is taking direct aim at Meta for those exact ads, arguing that the social media giant failed to do its job to stop scammers from running rampant on Facebook and Instagram. If the case successfully moves forward, users who got conned out of their cash could eventually see some compensation.
The case against Meta
The firms behind the proposed claim say Meta has profited from fraudulent advertisements appearing across its platforms. They argue the company was negligent in allowing scam ads to be shown and didn’t take sufficient steps to remove them before users lost money.
According to the lawyers, the claim focuses on people who invested or spent money after seeing scam advertisements on Facebook or Instagram.
At this stage, these are allegations, and Meta has not been found liable. However, the law firms are asking people to register their interest in the lawsuit if they lost £2,000 or more to a scam they saw on Facebook or Instagram within the last six years.
Don’t expect a payout anytime soon
Before anyone starts mentally spending settlement money, there’s an important reality check. The case is still in its early stages.
The lawyers involved say it could take years before there is any decision about whether the claim succeeds.
Even if it does move forward, participants will later have to decide whether they want to formally join. For now, registering interest simply means they’ll receive updates if the claim progresses.
It is also important to note that the payout wouldn’t be free, as the claim is being run on a “no win, no fee” basis. That generally means participants wouldn’t pay legal fees upfront.
However, if the case succeeds, the law firms would take a percentage of any compensation awarded. The exact amount hasn’t been announced, though similar group claims have seen fees as high as 35%. So, any eventual payout would likely be reduced by legal costs.
Source: Money Saving Expert