ORG report reveals Meta ads are targeting migrants with fake passports

An investigation by the Open Rights Group (ORG) has revealed that fraudulent advertisements offering fake driving licenses and passports to migrants are still active on Facebook, despite Meta's previous claims of having addressed the issue. The findings are part of a new Bad Ads report highlighting how Meta's surveillance advertising model enables the targeting of vulnerable individuals with disinformation, fraudulent ads, and divisive content.

The report reveals these scams have continued, with fraudsters now utilising Facebook pages disguised as gaming communities to reach migrants with illegal services. One example cited is an ad placed on a page seemingly about video gaming, which offered EU identity documents and British passports for sale, specifically targeting men aged 18 and over in several European countries.

ORG argues that these findings demonstrate that Meta's systems continue to allow bad actors to exploit its targeted advertising system, even after public scrutiny. The report provides evidence of how Meta's advertising tools can be used to manipulate elections, spread disinformation, fuel division, and facilitate fraud by allowing advertisers to target specific user profiles created through Meta's surveillance of user behaviour and interests.