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canetoad

(18,824 posts)
Wed Feb 26, 2025, 11:11 PM Feb 26

'I can't buy food for my children': Facebook profits from charity scams costing taxpayers

Social media giant Meta has been profiting from hundreds of Facebook scam advertisements preying on Australians experiencing financial hardship, leaving taxpayers and charities to foot the bill.

In the cruel swindles, scammers take out ads impersonating well-known Australian charities and not-for-profit organisations, including the Salvation Army, Brotherhood of St Laurence, St Vincent de Paul Society, Anglicare, the Smith Family and Good Shepherd.

The fraudulent ads purport to offer no-interest loans to people with low incomes facing unexpected costs, such as replacing a broken fridge, car repairs so they can get to work, or bond money to secure a rental property.

In reality, they trick Australians into handing over sensitive personal details that allow scammers to crack into their myGov accounts, redirect their Centrelink payments and steal their identities.

more..... https://www.theage.com.au/national/i-can-t-buy-food-for-my-children-facebook-profits-from-charity-scams-costing-taxpayers-20250219-p5ldjq.html

Or https://archive.md/5H669

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