Meta has launched a new wave of legal actions targeting so-called “celeb-bait” scam operations — schemes that use manipulated images and deepfake videos of public figures to lure users into fraudulent schemes. The company is filing lawsuits against three separate scam groups across Brazil and China, while also taking action against a Vietnam-based cloaking operation.
The Scammers in the Crosshairs
Among those targeted are two Brazil-based individuals who used altered celebrity images and voices to promote fake healthcare products. A second Brazilian group, operating under the Brites Corp umbrella, deployed deepfakes of a well-known physician to advertise unapproved health products — and even sold courses teaching others how to replicate the tactics. A China-based tech firm, Shenzhen Yunzheng Technology Co., Ltd, ran a broader fraud scheme using celebrity-bait ads to pull users in the US and Japan into sham investment groups.
A Growing Legal Offensive
These lawsuits form part of Meta’s expanding legal strategy against online fraud. The company has also issued cease and desist letters to eight former Meta Business Partners offering services such as fake account restoration and rented access to trusted accounts. Earlier this month, Meta supported UK and Nigerian law enforcement in dismantling a scam centre, resulting in seven arrests.
The results are becoming tangible. Meta reported that scam ads dropped by more than 50% over a 15-month period, and in the first half of 2025, nearly 12 million accounts linked to criminal scam centres were detected and removed across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Meta hopes these legal precedents will act as a strong deterrent going forward.