The majority of people who "fall" for false advertisements on social media do not report them, but despite that, the numbers are astonishing. The World Trade Commission notes that in 2021, "over 95,000 people reported a loss of about $770 million due to scams from fake information propagated on social media platforms."
The majority of people who "fall" for false advertisements on social media do not report them, but despite that, the numbers are astonishing. The World Trade Commission notes that in 2021, "over 95,000 people reported a loss of about $770 million due to scams from fake information propagated on social media platforms."
Disinformation has also found its business place. Whats frightening is that these undesirable phenomena have now begun to generate online finances at the expense of gullible citizens. Specifically, the internet, an unlimited space full of challenges but also stalkers ready to steal not only identities but entire profiles of public figures, institutions, and even officials to achieve their goals, has recently been on the rise, as reported by global media.
Analyses on this topic indicate that regulating online advertising activation to prevent scams is challenging. Problematic is the so-called programmatic advertising, which represents the personalized display of advertising banners based on user interest data. This complex process has many vulnerabilities that criminals exploit, and countries worldwide and in the region have rarely legislated in this area.
In the Macedonian landscape of false news that proved profitable for online businesses, the public still remembers cases involving the popular microbiologist and Medical Faculty professor, Dr. Nikola Panovski, and the neurosurgeon Dr. Arben Taravari, the current mayor of Gostivar and former Minister of Health.
In both cases, these doctors names were exploited for companies marketing and financial gain through false, manipulative content posted on social media. It is additionally concerning that, even though legal proceedings have been initiated in one of the cases, there is still no resolution or accountability for the misuse.
Macedonian police, the Food and Veterinary Agency, and market inspection have been "unable" for years to locate the main culprits behind this targeted operation that reaches deep into peoples pockets through dishonest marketing via screens. It is also not within their jurisdiction to search for them.
Several studies on this topic show that such abuses are present throughout the Balkans. A recent example from Bosnia and Herzegovina testifies to this, which is fertile ground for such malpractices, confirmed by Prof. Dr. Branislav Mihajlovic, a regular professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Banja Luka in the field of public health and environmental protection. He explains that towards the end of last year, he found himself in a fabricated interview of about ten pages, in which he described the workings of medication, with a 50% discount offered for its purchase.
As explained by the doctor in a media statement, before reporting to the institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he conducted his investigation by ordering the product, which cost more than 25 euros, with a discount. He sent friends to the distributor “Lidšop” office in Sarajevo. He reported the case to all Bosnian-Herzegovinian institutions. Still, after seven months, he believes they are either lazy or corrupt, as there have been no changes, even though he received confirmation from the cantonal prosecutor that the law was violated.
"Its truly a crime, as she said, identity theft, but the company that committed the identity theft and advertised that medication is outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina – in the Emirates, in Dubai. And now, according to her words, which I quote directly to avoid ambiguity, she said its a crime. Still, it wasnt committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina because this company Lidšop had a contract with that marketing agency in the Emirates. That company placed the advertisement, but its not within the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so they cannot prosecute it criminally, nor the company’s owner," says Prof. Dr. Branislav Mihajlovic.
Most people who "fall" for false advertisements on social media do not report them, but despite that, the numbers are astonishing. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said that in 2021, "over 95,000 people reported a loss of about $770 million due to scams initiated on social media platforms." If this sounds like a lot, its because it is – eighteen times more than in 2018, as reported by the media.
"Even legitimate ads are cloned and repurposed for malicious intent, and as an end user, you have no way of knowing if an ad is legitimate until you click on it," says Paul Bischoff, a privacy advocate at Comparitech. Advice: Dont click on it! "Attackers can disguise their domains, so you cant know where the ad will take you."
Although older individuals are often victims of scams, individuals aged 18 to 39 lost the most money from scams originating from fake ads on social media in 2021. If the past indicates the future, this number will continue to rise. As online fraud and scams on Facebook Marketplace are so widespread – and it can be challenging to recognize the signs not to trust an application – its wise to learn how to identify a scammer. Below, we break down the red flags you should be aware of to protect yourself from scams on Instagram, Facebook fraud, and fake advertisements and news on social media.
Source Link: https://www.slobodenpecat.mk/industrijata-na-lagi-stanuva-rastechki-biznis/
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