The US Federal Trade Commission said on 24 September it is considering whether to update its rule on impersonation scams to cover online platforms whose ad tools may be furthering them [1].
In an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, it asks how ad-optimisation tools offered by social media, search engines and online marketplaces help scammers pose as real businesses and government agencies [1].
The commissioners voted 2-0 to publish the notice. Comments will be open for 60 days after it appears in the Federal Register [1].
What it covers
Platforms that sell ad-targeting and ad-optimisation services to third parties in the US [1].
The FTC asks about measures it could require, including vetting advertisers, monitoring ads, investigating and removing confirmed scam ads, and disciplining the advertisers behind them [1].
Consumers reported losing nearly $3.5 billion to impersonation scams in 2025, in more than 1 million reports to the FTC [1].
Nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to scams in 2025 said they were first contacted on social media, with reported losses of $2.1 billion [1].
What it does not tell you
Whether any rule will result. An advance notice asks questions; a proposed rule, with its own comment period, would come next [1].
How much fraud goes unreported. The loss figures are only what consumers told the FTC [1].
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