Facebook, WhatsApp should remove accounts that defraud users, Manhattan DA says
Meta is failing to remove imposter accounts from its Facebook and WhatsApp platforms that "have led to tens of thousands of dollars of fraudulent transfers" in a growing scam across the country, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Bragg is the latest prosecutor to go public with criticism of Meta for failing to protect the public from criminals lurking on its social media platforms. New Mexico recently won a $375 million civil case that held Meta liable for failing to police its sites for child predators, and a jury in Los Angeles found Meta, along with Google, liable for a 20-year-old woman's social media addiction.
In one of the latest scams, phony Facebook and WhatsApp accounts pose as organizations like Catholic Charities that offer pro bono legal services. The scammers behind those accounts claim to be lawyers offering immigration services, coaxing money from unsuspecting victims, Bragg said.
His office is getting, on average, a complaint a month and the scam has become so prevalent that Catholic Charities chapters in Trenton, Houston and Baltimore have posted warnings on their Facebook pages.
In some instances, scammers create public Facebook accounts that mirror real accounts belonging to pro bono legal services organizations, Bragg said. In others, they create WhatsApp profiles posing as immigration lawyers associated with those same organizations, frequently using the names and logos of legitimate organizations to give the appearance of credibility.
"These imposter accounts have led to tens of thousands of dollars of fraudulent transfers. Scammers frequently target immigrant populations because they are perceived to be, and often are, more vulnerable to fraud and in need of a specific type of legal assistance," Bragg said in a letter to Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg demanding the company take action after requests to remove false profiles were declined.
"Your company has made representations about the importance of the safety and security of your platform for its users," Bragg's letter said. "If you sincerely wish to protect the safety of your users from fraud, we urge you to take necessary, proactive steps."
Bragg urged Meta to allow law enforcement agencies to report imposter accounts, suspend suspect accounts and ensure that users claiming to represent organizations that provide legal services are really where they say they are.
He also requested a meeting with Zuckerberg or his representatives to assure compliance.
In a statement issued in response to Bragg's letter, a Meta spokesperson said, "Account impersonation violates our policies, and we take action against people and groups that attempt to misuse our platforms."
"We're investing in advanced AI to detect and prevent account impersonation and we've seen promising results as it helped reduce user reports for the most-impersonated celebrities by more than 80% in testing," the Meta spokesperson said. "We're committed to engaging constructively with all levels of government, law enforcement and cross-sector partners to tackle this industry-wide challenge."
Meta also said the company is investing in new technology, partnering with experts and other companies, and constantly working to update its detection and enforcement systems so users can feel safe.
In an interview with ABC News, Bragg urged caution to users seeking legal services.
"If there's a lawyer who only wants to meet virtually and can't give you a business address, that's a red flag," Bragg told ABC News. "Catholic Charities, these other organizations that are not-for-profits, they provide these services for free. So just the asking of money in and of itself is something that can be a red flag."
