Network of 4,000+ Fake Sites Scams Facebook Users Across Multiple Countries

Facebook scams have become increasingly sophisticated, leveraging AI and deepfake technology to create convincing ads featuring fake celebrity endorsements, such as videos of Kelly Clarkson and Billie Eilish promoting fraudulent giveaways and shopping sites. A massive network known as “GhostVendors” operates over 4,000 scam websites impersonating major brands like Amazon, Costco, and Milwaukee Tools, exploiting Facebook Marketplace ads to lure victims with extremely low prices and disappearing evidence once campaigns end. These scammers often use cloned website templates and domain generation algorithms to quickly produce numerous fraudulent ads and websites, aiming to steal money or payment details. Additionally, scammers tailor their ads to local contexts by using images of politicians or culturally familiar figures to increase trust, while falsely localizing their operations to obscure their true locations. Facebook Marketplace users are also targeted by scams where fake buyers offer instant payments but trick sellers into revealing personal information, potentially compromising accounts and financial data. Overall, these evolving tactics exploit Facebook's ad system and policies, making it difficult for users to identify and avoid scams.