The Bad Placeundefined | Facebook, WhatsApp should remove accounts that defraud users, Manhattan DA says
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has publicly rebuked Meta for allowing fake Facebook and WhatsApp accounts to operate on its platforms, accusing the company of facilitating scams that have cost victims tens of thousands of dollars. Bragg’s criticism follows recent legal actions that held Meta liable for failing to police its sites—most notably a $375 million civil judgment in New Mexico over child‑predator negligence and a Los Angeles jury verdict that found Meta and Google responsible for a woman’s social‑media addiction.
According to Bragg, the scams typically involve impersonators creating accounts that masquerade as reputable organizations such as Catholic Charities or immigration‑law firms. These impostor profiles solicit money by offering “pro‑bono” legal services, often targeting immigrant communities that are especially vulnerable. Complaints to the DA’s office now average at least one per month, and chapters of Catholic Charities in cities like Trenton, Houston and Baltimore have already posted warnings on their own Facebook pages. In a letter to Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, Bragg demanded that the company allow law‑enforcement reporting of false profiles, suspend suspect accounts, and verify that users claiming to represent legal‑service organizations are indeed authorized to do so.
Meta responded that it prohibits users from misrepresenting their identity and is continuously updating detection and enforcement tools, including new technology and partnerships with experts, to keep scammers off its services. Bragg urged users to exercise caution when seeking legal help online, noting that a lawyer who only offers virtual meetings without a physical business address should be treated as a red flag, and that any request for money—even from a seemingly charitable nonprofit—warrants skepticism.
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