Qatari businessman Wissam al Mana, best known for his previous marriage to popstar Janet Jackson, has reached a settlement with Meta (formerly known as Facebook) over crypto scam advertisements. In a Dublin court, Meta’s lawyers admitted to publishing fake, misleading, and defamatory ads on Facebook in 2019, without al Mana’s consent or knowledge.
The terms of the settlement between al Mana and Meta are confidential, but Meta has agreed to implement robust measures to prevent future crypto scam ads. Al Mana pursued the case because the creators of the ads were able to produce new ones even after the original ads were taken down. These fraudulent advertisements caused significant damage to al Mana’s reputation and resulted in distress and embarrassment.
Meta has sincerely and unreservedly apologized to al Mana for the publication of these false ads. Al Mana’s legal representatives are seeking an order for Meta to disclose identifying information about the individuals who purchased these crypto scam ads, similar to a separate case involving Irish politician Michael Martin and Google.
Growing concern over crypto scam ads as Wissam al Mana takes legal action against Meta
Wissam al Mana, a prominent businessman in Qatar and part of the Al-Mana Group, which distributes well-known car and luxury brands, has initiated legal action against Meta. This case highlights the increasing concern surrounding the proliferation of crypto scam ads that exploit the reputations of high-profile individuals.
Exploitation of Elon Musk’s image and name in fake cryptocurrency scam
Similarly, scammers have been using the image and name of entrepreneur Elon Musk to promote a fabricated cryptocurrency called X Token. Despite Musk’s clear statements that his companies will not create a crypto token, scammers continue to deceive unsuspecting users by utilizing his image. These fraudsters purchase ads on X and pay for verified accounts to spread their campaign, potentially spending substantial amounts of money in the process.
X Token offers false perks including a trip to Mars, flamethrowers, and brain chips supposedly from Musk’s companies in exchange for purchasing X coins. The identity of the scammers behind this campaign remains elusive, as they deploy numerous verified X accounts to run ads that are quickly deleted, making it difficult to gauge the full extent of their reach.
Despite users’ attempts to report the scam to the X platform, little action has been taken so far. This case involving Wissam al Mana and Meta underscores the importance of implementing rigorous measures to prevent the dissemination of crypto scam ads, as they can cause significant harm to individuals’ reputations and finances. It also highlights the need for platforms like X to proactively combat fraudulent advertising and protect their users.