Social media companies generated an estimated £430 million in revenue from scam advertisements targeting UK users in 2025, according to new research commissioned by fintech firm Revolut.
The findings, published in a white paper by Juniper Research, suggest the UK is one of the most heavily targeted markets in Europe, accounting for nearly 11% of all European scam-ad revenue earned by social media platforms.
UK Users Flooded With Scam Advertising
The report estimates that UK social media users were exposed to an average of 185 scam adverts per month across platforms including Facebook, Instagram and X. Collectively, these scams led to £44 million in losses last year — a figure Juniper projects could rise to £84 million annually by 2030 if current trends continue.
The scale of the problem is such that scam advertising now makes up almost 10% of all ads seen by UK users on social media platforms, according to the research.
Profits Rising Faster Than Losses
Juniper’s analysis shows that platform earnings from scam adverts are increasing rapidly. The £430m generated in 2025 represents a 56% rise compared with 2022, highlighting how lucrative fraudulent advertising has become within digital ad ecosystems.
The report argues that this growth is partly driven by how platforms verify advertisers. Most rely on reactive enforcement, taking action only after ads have been paid for and published — often once harm has already occurred.
Warnings Over Future Incentives
If platforms fail to move towards more proactive ad verification models, Juniper warns that revenues from scam advertising across social media could reach nearly £9 billion by 2030.
Revolut, which commissioned the research, has repeatedly called for greater accountability for social media companies, arguing that platforms are the starting point for the majority of online fraud cases.
Who Pays When Scams Happen?
At present, responsibility for reimbursing victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud — where individuals are manipulated into sending money to criminals — falls entirely on payment service providers, not the platforms where scams originate.
Revolut says this imbalance creates weak incentives for social media firms to prevent scam advertising at source, allowing fraudulent ads to remain a persistent and growing problem for UK consumers.
thetechtrident.com 