Scammers have become some of the largest political ad spenders on Meta`s platforms, using deepfake videos of American politicians — including former President Donald Trump — to promote fake government benefits, according to a new report from the nonprofit Tech Transparency Project (TTP).

The group identified 63 scam advertisers who collectively spent $49 million on Facebook and Instagram. Many of the ads targeted seniors with false promises of stimulus checks, government-issued spending cards, and healthcare payments. These ads have reached tens of thousands of users across the platforms.

TTP`s report highlights how scammers are exploiting advances in artificial intelligence, public confusion over social programs, and Meta’s weak content moderation systems to deceive users.

"Meta is allowing this activity even though it prohibits scams and says it invests in scam prevention to keep users safe," the report stated.

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but TTP cited a company statement saying Meta is investing in new technical defenses as scammers continually adapt their tactics.

Under Meta`s advertising rules, anyone wishing to run political ads in the U.S. must go through a verification process that includes submitting official identification and a U.S. mailing address.

Despite this, TTP found all 63 identified scam advertisers had their ads removed in the past year for violating Meta’s policies. Yet, nearly half were still active as of this week. Meta disabled 35 ad accounts, but often only after they had published dozens — or even hundreds — of ads. Six of the accounts spent over $1 million before being shut down.

One notable example cited by TTP was an ad from a group called the Relief Eligibility Center. It featured a deepfake video of Trump in the White House Rose Garden falsely promising "$5,000 stimulus checks" to Americans. The ad, which ran in April and May, mimicked a real Trump speech, but its audio was altered and did not match the official transcript.

This ad targeted men and women over the age of 65 in more than 20 states and directed users to a website offering fraudulent benefits.

Fact-checkers have long warned about fake stimulus check offers on social media. The TTP report adds to growing concerns about online fraud, especially as it targets older Americans.

In August, the Federal Trade Commission reported a more than four-fold increase since 2020 in complaints from older adults who lost $10,000 or more — often their entire life savings — to scammers posing as government agencies or legitimate businesses.