Guide to spotting fake or scam Facebook ads

These days, you just can't be immediately sure if everything you see online is true or not.

Be careful of fake FB ads like this!

Even "Sponsored" Facebook ads can be a scam!

Another fake or scam ad boosted on Facebook shows the photo of Dr. Willie Ong and Dr. Liza Ong

Given the many ways how Facebook can be used now—from communication, entertainment, and even business—users must be extra careful about what they interact with on the platform.

It is possible that a post you will click is something meant to fool you.

Just like some sponsored posts on Facebook. Those posts you see with the tag "sponsored" are meant to be boosted so more audiences can see them.

But fraudsters are already using this feature to scam other people. Just like the photos we have above.

This means that they are willing to pay to have Facebook display the "product" they want to promote to lure you. Sometimes, it pretends to be endorsed by a famous local personality like YouTubers and celebrities.

While it should be its job, there will be times when Facebook does a poor job of screening and spotting these.

Here are some tips on how you can protect yourself from such fraudulent ads:

1. Carefully read and evaluate the post. If it's too good to be true, better ignore it and even report it.

2. Don't immediately click links if you are not 100 percent sure about the legitimacy of the post.

3. Check the account that posted it. If the owner appears questionable, don’t interact or transact. Most of the time, scam accounts are new Facebook accounts.

4. Always be vigilant. Be observant. Immediately report any suspicious posts you will see on your timeline.

Remember, your safety should be your priority.

It will be better to continuously question the ads you see online rather than lose your hard-earned money.

Aside from reporting the post on Facebook, you can also report scams through the government’s anti-scam response hotline 1326.

Stay safe online guys!