Many people enjoy social media, but ads there are not always safe. On March 11, 2026, Meta announced new anti-scam tools for WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger. The new features include warnings about suspicious device-linking requests on WhatsApp, alerts for risky friend requests on Facebook, and wider scam detection in Messenger chats with new contacts. If a Messenger chat shows patterns common in scams, Meta may ask the user if they want an AI review of recent messages. (about.fb.com)
Meta says AI is now a big part of this fight. The company says its systems can study text, images, and context to find “celeb-bait” scams, fake links, and pages that copy real brands. Meta also says it removed more than 159 million scam ads in 2025, and about 92% were taken down before users reported them. In February 2026, Meta also filed lawsuits against advertisers in Brazil, China, and Vietnam over celeb-bait scams, cloaking, and subscription fraud. It says a protection program now covers more than 500,000 celebrities and public figures whose images are often misused in scam ads. (about.fb.com)
This matters because online scams are still growing fast. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024. In its 2024 scam summary, the FTC said 70% of people who were contacted through social media reported losing money, with $1.9 billion in reported losses through that contact method. The FTC also said that, since 2021, scams that started on social media have led to $2.7 billion in reported losses, and many online shopping scam reports began after people answered ads on Facebook or Instagram. (ftc.gov)
So, will SNS ads become safer? They may become safer, but probably not perfect. Meta’s new warnings, AI tools, and legal action look like strong steps in the right direction. Still, users should stay careful: pause before clicking, check offers that look too good, and never share personal or payment information too quickly. Better technology can help, but smart users are still an important part of online safety. (about.fb.com)










