Documents Reveal Meta's $16 Billion Revenue Forecast from Fraudulent Advertisements
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 09 2025
0mins
Should l Buy META?
Source: Benzinga
Revenue from Scam Ads: Leaked documents indicate that Meta Platforms Inc. projected around $16 billion in revenue from scam advertisements and banned goods in 2024, representing nearly 10% of its total revenue.
Inability to Control Fraudulent Ads: The documents revealed that Meta displayed an estimated 15 billion "higher risk" scam ads daily, exposing users to various fraudulent schemes, while the company was slow to act against known scammers.
Impact on Reputation: The significant contribution of scam ads to Meta's revenue raises concerns about the company's commitment to user safety and its effectiveness in combating fraudulent activities, potentially harming its reputation and user trust.
Contradictory Claims: Despite Meta's assertion of a 50% decrease in user reports about scam ads, the leaked documents suggest a different reality, highlighting a disconnect between the company's claims and the actual situation.
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Analyst Views on META
Wall Street analysts forecast META stock price to rise
44 Analyst Rating
37 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 649.810
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 649.810
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
About META
Meta Platforms, Inc. is building human connections, powered by artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. The Company's products enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets, augmented reality (AR), and wearables. It also helps people discover and learn about what is going on in the world around them, enabling people to share their experiences, ideas, photos, videos, and other content with audiences ranging from their closest family members and friends to the public at large. The Company's segments include Family of Apps (FoA) and Reality Labs (RL). FoA segment includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads. RL segment includes its virtual, augmented, and mixed reality related consumer hardware, software and content. Its product offerings in VR include its Meta Quest devices, as well as software and content available through the Meta Horizon Store.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- User Base Growth: Meta's daily active users have reached 3.5 billion, a 7% year-over-year increase, providing robust growth potential for advertising revenue and further solidifying its market position.
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- User Base Advantage: With over 3.5 billion users and a 7% year-over-year increase in daily active users, Meta provides a robust growth potential for its digital advertising business, which Ackman identifies as a key factor for investment.
- Strong Financial Performance: Meta's revenue grew by 22% in 2025, and its price-to-earnings ratio has decreased from 21.2 to 18.2, indicating that its stock is undervalued, which Ackman sees as an excellent buying opportunity.
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