An ad appearing in a familiar social media feed does not prove the seller is legitimate. The Federal Trade Commission says platforms do not always thoroughly check advertisements or the people behind them.
The FTC says consumers reported more than $95 million in 2025 losses to scams that began after they ordered something in response to a social media ad. The agency says scammers can pay for ads, including ads that impersonate real brands or offer counterfeit products.
Before buying, the FTC recommends searching for the company name with words such as scam or complaint. People who spot or lose money to a fake or scammy ad can report it to the agency at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.