US tech giant Meta has filed lawsuits against several individuals and companies in Brazil and China for allegedly using celebrity deepfakes to advertise scam products on its platforms.
The company made the announcement in a statement on Thursday. It said artificial intelligence technology is now being used by criminals worldwide to create realistic voice and video copies of well-known public figures. These fake videos are used to promote unapproved health products and fraudulent investment schemes.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, said it filed “lawsuits against four scam advertisers who impersonated well-known celebrities and brands to deceive and defraud people.”
In Brazil, the company sued B&B Suplementos e Cosmeticos and Brites Academia de Treinamento, along with two individuals. Meta accused them of running “a scam operation that used deepfakes of a prominent physician to advertise healthcare products without regulatory approval.”
According to Meta, Brites also sold courses teaching others how to use similar deceptive tactics.
Renowned Brazilian oncologist Drauzio Varella was among the public figures allegedly impersonated in the scheme. However, Varella said Meta’s legal actions were not enough.
Speaking to O Globo newspaper, the doctor described the lawsuits as “a drop in the ocean of fraud against public health.”
He further accused Meta’s platforms of being “partners in the fraud” because of their massive reach.
“They earn billions by spreading this and ensuring the video reaches as many people as possible,” Varella said.
Meta also sued Vitor Lourenco de Souza and Milena Luciani Sanchez in Brazil for similar alleged practices.
In China, the company filed a lawsuit against Shenzhen Yunzheng Technology. Meta said the firm used “celeb-bait ads” targeting users in the United States, Japan and other countries. The ads were allegedly part of a wider fraud scheme designed to lure victims into joining fake investment groups.
The tech company also sued Vietnamese firm Ly Van Lam. It accused the company of publishing fraudulent advertisements for luxury handbags made by Longchamp.
Meta said it remains committed to tackling online scams and protecting users from fraud.
