San Francisco, CA: May 7, 2026 – Analysis of US Federal Trade Commission data reported by World Trademark Review shows that almost 30% of the people who reported losing money to a scam in 2025 said the contact began on social media. Those losses amounted to about USD 2.1 billion, the highest of any contact method.
The tactics are familiar to brand protection teams: fake accounts that copy a company's name and imagery, sponsored posts for non-existent sales, and direct messages that pose as customer service. Deepfake endorsements add a new layer; Surfshark estimates that impersonation of well-known figures promoting fraudulent investments accounted for most of the roughly USD 1.1 billion lost to deepfake scams in 2025.
Platforms have reporting tools, but results vary by platform and by the quality of the evidence supplied.
“A strong takedown request shows the impersonation, the harm and the link to other accounts. That is what gets action quickly, and it is what we prepare for every case,” says Hannah Fletcher, marketing and events manager at MarkScout.
MarkScout monitors major social platforms for impersonation of brands, executives and support channels, and manages the reporting and escalation process on behalf of clients.