Digital Fraud as a Public Security Issue: How Meta Profits from Fraudulent Ads About Public Policies
Data from 2026 indicate that becoming a victim of an online scam — that is, losing money over the internet or through a mobile phone — is among Brazilians’ main concerns, surpassing worries associated with urban violence.
Electronic fraud already surpasses robbery in the number of reported cases in Brazil and finds its main channel for reaching victims on social media platforms.
The Pix Scams study, conducted by cybersecurity company Silverguard, found that 79% of reported financial fraud cases in Brazil during the first half of 2024 originated on Meta platforms, with 39% beginning on WhatsApp.
Because they involve rights, benefits, and services of interest to millions of Brazilians, public policies and social welfare programs are frequently exploited by scammers on digital platforms to attract new victims.
This study aims to gather evidence on fraudulent advertisements promoting digital scams related to Brazilian public policies on Meta platforms (Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads, Messenger, and Audience Network), contributing to an understanding of the risks these practices pose to online public security.
To this end, we sought to identify the campaigns by analyzing their content, the public policies being exploited, patterns in the strategies employed, and the relationship between advertising pages and the websites being promoted.
Between January 1 and March 31, 2026, we collected data from Meta’s Ad Library using automated techniques based on terms related to Brazilian public policies. Combining computational and qualitative methods, we analyzed advertisements showing indications of scams and fraud, identified based on suspicious patterns and violations of Brazilian advertising laws and regulations.
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How to cite
SANTINI, Marie; SALLES, Débora; MATTOS, Bruno; SANCHOTENE, Nicole; BARROS, Carlos Eduardo; HADDAD, João Gabriel; MOREIRA, Alékis; MELLO, Danielle; GRAEL, Felipe; FERREIRA, Fernando; BORGES, Amanda; MENDES, Arthur; DIAS, Bernardo; SILVA, Daphne; BELIN, Luciane. Digital Fraud as a Public Security Issue: How Meta Profits from Fraudulent Ads About Public Policies. Rio de Janeiro: NetLab – Internet and Social Media Studies Laboratory, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Published on June 19, 2026.
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