ACCC takes Meta to court over Facebook scam ads depicting Australian identities

Dick Smith, Andrew Forrest among prominent people used on cryptocurrency and other scam ads without approval

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Australia's consumer watchdog is taking Meta to court, alleging the company aided and abetted" celebrity scam ads on Facebook that have cost some Australians hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The ads, which include the promotion of investment in cryptocurrency, have plagued the platform since 2020. Each ad depicts an image of a prominent Australian such as David Koch, Dick Smith or Andrew Forrest, claiming to have made it big with the investments in a fake news article that directs people to the scam investment website.

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