This social media advertising story repeats itself as a drama of public images used in scams. A well-known chef, Alberto Chicote, became the focal point when his likeness appeared in a fraudulent campaign, drawing public scrutiny after an official indictment. Previously, the figure at the center was described as an Australian businessman who, in the prior February, played a key role in painting the empire’s colors. The reference remains linked to Mark Zuckerberg, the face of a global tech platform.
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Australia’s wealthiest individual and Fortescue Metals CEO Andrew Forrest announced a lawsuit against the social network Facebook. He alleges the platform allowed his image to be used in comments tied to a fraud scheme, as stated in a formal complaint.
The billionaire contends that Facebook Ads breached the country’s money laundering laws. In a media briefing, Forrest accused the company of willful negligence for not halting the circulation of fraudulent advertisements that have used his image since March 2019 to promote investments in cryptocurrency.
For Australians, Facebook allegedly lacked robust controls and a corporate culture capable of preventing such misuse.
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Mining magnate who asserts the alleged crime is genuine publicly questioned Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and urged him to address the fraudulent advertisement using his image from 2019.
The Western Australian Magistrates’ Court planned a preliminary hearing for March 28 to tackle Forrest’s civil action, which seeks to defend the interests of Australians who have fallen victim to fraud on social media.
“Social media is integral to daily life, but it is in the public interest to push harder to reduce online fraud and its impact,” Forrest remarked. The case targets Facebook in the United States as part of a broader effort to curb deceptive advertisements.
Facebook’s parent company declined to comment on the specific legal steps, noting that the platform has policies to counter fraudulent ads. The Australian network ABC reported on these developments.
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“We simply detect and reject the ads that violate our policies,” the Meta spokesperson stated, urging advertisers to comply and, in some cases, face legal action to enforce guidelines.
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We are reminded that Meta focuses not only on the ads themselves but also on the advertisers, aiming to block services when violations occur and to pursue legal action to uphold policies.
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Despite public statements, the Forrest case underscores a pattern where familiar faces or brands are used to deceive unsuspecting users.
A Twitter thread from a cryptocurrency-focused site explains how Facebook allowed scammers to run advertisements featuring at least one brand associated with the Amazon umbrella and even the image of its founder, Jeff Bezos.
The campaign promoted a nonexistent Amazon-branded cryptocurrency with the claim of incredible affordability. It suggested that the currency could be bought only through a dedicated page described as trustworthy.
A cryptic account claimed to trace the fraud but could not reveal the person behind the scheme. After this thread circulated, Amazon Help advised users to report the incidents, though the Help page did not provide a direct reporting option for these deceptive practices. The episode prompted ongoing discussions about the persistence of spoofed ads on Facebook, weeks after the original posts appeared.
Observers wonder whether Jeff Bezos or other prominent figures will be the next focal points in uncovering the world’s online advertising shame. The ongoing concern centers on the effectiveness of filters and the speed at which platforms remove fake content.