Anyone who has had a bad experience purchasing a product that was advertised through an ad online is aware of the potential for becoming a victim of a retail cyber scam. Gen Digital, Inc., a multinational cybersecurity and digital technology company provides cybersecurity software and monitoring through a number of affiliated companies including Norton, Avast, AVG and LifeLock and regularly reports on aspects of cyber security.
For retail investors, being aware of cybersecurity issues is important to protecting hard-earned assets.
Threat analysts at Gen Digital report that “Facebook was found to be associated with the most potential digital threats, like scams, phishing attacks and malvertisements.” Phishing attacks are when criminals steal data by deceiving people into providing the criminals with sensitive information like passwords, social security numbers and credit card numbers.
Malvertisements, short for malicious advertising, “is the use of online ads to spread malware and/or redirect users to malicious sites,”2 Consumers visit legitimate websites that may have ads with images that have malicious code in the background. Clicking on the ad activates the malicious code and downloads the malware to a computer or smart phone.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is aware that their social medial platform is a target for scams. In fact, at one point Meta itself estimated it hosted 15 billion scam ads a day according to documents obtained by Reuters.3 Meta countered that Reuters “presented a selective view that distorts Meta’s approach to fraud and scams” and Meta reported that they instituted scam reduction efforts in 2025, removing more than 134 million pieces of scam ad content.4
Facebook is the largest social media network, making it a popular target for thieves. The Gen Digital team found that the most common digital threats on Facebook were malvertising, phishing attacks, e-shop scams and financial scams.5
While 63 percent of all social-media-related threats identified by Gen Digital products stemmed from Facebook, YouTube came in second at 22 percent, X (Twitter) at 7 percent, and Instagram and Reddit at 3 percent each.
Financial scams accounted for 9 percent of Facebook scams identified by Gen Digital products. These scams “promise easy money, fake investment opportunities or quick loans in exchange for upfront payments or sensitive data.”6
Gen Digital recommends a number of ways to protect people from falling victim to social media investment scams:7
• Don’t talk to strangers: Avoid chatting with people you don’t know and ignore friend requests from strangers. Remember that online “friends” asking for money or personal information is a huge red flag.
• Adjust your online privacy settings: Review and tighten your privacy settings on every platform. Limiting what you share publicly — and who can contact you — makes it harder for scammers to target you.
• Pause before you click: Think twice before clicking on links or attachments, even from familiar accounts. Hackers often disguise malicious links to spread malware or steal login credentials. Be skeptical of urgent requests or too-good-to-be-true deals.
• Vet fundraisers: Research fundraisers before donating. Scammers use fake charities or emotional stories to manipulate people. Only donate through verified platforms.
• Be a cautious investor: Beware of “can’t-miss” investments on social media — especially if cryptocurrency is involved. Scammers post fake success stories to lure victims.
• Double-check links: Hover over links to see the real URL before opening them. Fake websites often use small spelling changes, a technique known as typosquatting, to trick you into visiting fake websites. Even better, install software like Norton 360 that can help alert you to dangerous links.
• Turn on 2FA: Enable two-factor or multi-factor authentication for an extra layer of security. That way, even if someone steals your password, they won’t be able to access your account without the second verification step.
• Use malware protection software: Install trusted security software, like Norton 360, to help block viruses, detect scams, and be alerted to phishing attacks and other online threats.
• Use ad blockers: Ad blockers can stop malicious or misleading ads from appearing in your feed. They also reduce the chances of accidentally clicking a harmful link.
Michigan Securities Law Services for Investor Protection
Cyber threats and online investment scams are becoming harder to ignore, making investment protection more important than ever. If misleading schemes, broker misconduct, or securities fraud put your financial future at risk, experienced securities law services can help protect your rights and pursue accountability.
The Law Offices of Peter C. Rageas, P.C. in Royal Oak provides dedicated legal representation for investors who need strong, knowledgeable advocacy in complex securities matters.
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1, 5, 6, 7 Cyber Safety Researchers Reveal Riskiest Social Media Platforms by Jeremy Coppock, 12/16/2025
Link: https://us.norton.com/blog/digital-life/riskiest-social-media-platforms?om_em_cid=hho_email_NORTON_NEWSLETTER_1927369&et_rid=336886586
2 The Dangers of Malvertising and How to Protect Yourself Against It by Florian Kaster, 7/16/2024
Link: https://www.pcworld.com/article/2385494/this-is-how-dangerous-malvertising-is-and-how-you-can-protect-yourself-against-it.html
3, 4 Meta is Earning a Fortune on a Deluge of Fraudulent Ads, Documents Show by Jeff Horowitz, 12/28/2025
Link: https://www.reuters.com/investigations/meta-is-earning-fortune-deluge-fraudulent-ads-documents-show-2025-11-06/