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New Report Says Medicare Scam Ads Earned Meta Millions on Facebook

Medicare scam ads are targeting seniors on social media.

By Paige Cerulli , Edited by Andrea Basse

Updated June 4, 2026

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A new report has revealed that Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, has profited significantly from Medicare scam ads promoting false senior benefits, enrollment deadlines, and more. Researchers from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) analyzed over 90,000 ads from Meta's Ad Library and summarized the eye-opening findings about how the ads targeted seniors in a new report.

Here's what to know about the Medicare scam ads, whether you might have been affected, and how to protect yourself in the future.

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The size of the scam

According to CCDH's research, in the last year, Medicare scammers' ads received 215 million impressions. That's nearly six times as many impressions as all previous years on record.

The ads largely targeted seniors, and 73% of impressions came from social media users over age 65. The ads also targeted certain states, including Texas and Florida, where large portions of the population are eligible for Medicare. The number of ads found may be under-reported, since the CCDH was only able to access the ads listed in Meta's public ad library.

In 2025, Americans lost more than $2 billion to scams that started on social media, and that only accounts for the scams that were reported. The Federal Trade Commission reports that more money was lost to scams on Facebook than on any other platform.

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What the ads looked like

The report describes the ads as being deceptive and designed to mislead seniors. For example, it describes one ad featuring a deepfake of Oprah Winfrey. The ad encouraged viewers to claim an allowance card that would help cover food, rent, and gas expenses, but the amount of the allowance card was overstated.

The ads often featured misleading perks, while some impersonated government agencies or even used deepfakes of politicians to create false endorsements of the offers. They encouraged users to click on a link or call a phone number. By deceiving seniors, the ads may have collected personal information or even encouraged seniors to choose health care plans that were worse than their current options.

How Meta handled the scam ads

Meta earned a total of $14.3 million from the scam ads, and while Meta removes the scam ads, the process is slow. According to the CCDH, by the time the ads were removed, they had generated 72 million impressions, and Meta had earned $3.7 million from the ads.

The CCDH report indicates that Meta doesn't ban the advertisers suspected of fraud, but instead charges them a higher ad rate.

According to Meta spokesperson Andy Stone, the company removed over 159 million scam ads last year, taking down 92% of those ads before anyone reported them. Stone also stated that Meta partnered with law enforcement worldwide to disrupt scammers.

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Why Medicare is a common scam target

Scammers target seniors, including those with Medicare, for many reasons. Scammers may believe seniors have extra money, such as retirement savings, and that they tend to be more trusting. Since some seniors may have memory loss or be less likely to report a scam, they may be easy targets.

Additionally, Medicare is a complex program, so scammers may be able to more easily deceive seniors who aren't deeply familiar with the program. Facebook's own ad-targeting tools also make it unusually easy to reach seniors with these scams.

What to do if you see a Medicare offer on social media

It's important to treat any Medicare-related offer that you see in a social media ad as suspicious. Additionally, never share your Medicare or Social Security number through an ad or if you receive unsolicited contact. Keep your personal information, including your bank account and mailing address, protected, too.

Common signs of Medicare scams

Be sure to look for signs of common Medicare scams. Offers of free items or services, such as no-cost medical supplies or prescriptions, are often a scam and may be an attempt to access your Medicare number.

Pressure to change your Medicare plan may also be suspicious. If an ad indicates you could access a new plan with lower premiums or better benefits, you might be seeing a scam, especially if there's a fee to enroll in the new plan.

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What to do if you've been scammed

If you believe you've been scammed by a fake Medicare ad or other Medicare scam, you may report it by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. You may also contact the Senior Medicare Patrol Resource Center at 1-877-808-2468, plus you may submit a report online to the Federal Trade Commission.

Bottom line

Medicare scams are common, particularly on social media, so be cautious about any offers you see. You may verify any benefit claims and offers directly through the Medicare.gov website, or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

Being extra cautious about any offers you see may help protect you from making financial mistakes and may be a key way to keep your personal information and your Medicare number safe.

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