The Federal Trade Commission is examining whether the tools that help advertisers reach customers also help scammers impersonate businesses and government agencies. Its September 24 announcement opens a policy discussion about platforms’ role in distributing deceptive ads, rather than announcing a completed new rule.
The FTC notice seeks comment on advertising optimization, financial incentives and possible responses, including advertiser vetting and action against confirmed impersonation ads. The agency is considering changes to its existing impersonation rule, a separate rule or other measures. It says the comment period will run for 60 days after the notice appears in the Federal Register.
An ad’s placement is not proof of identity
The FTC says consumers reported nearly $3.5 billion in losses to imposter scams in 2025. Those are reported losses, not a complete measurement of every incident. The agency’s concern reaches beyond the individual scammer to the systems that help an ad find an audience.
For consumers, the practical question remains immediate: how do you establish who is actually asking for your money or information? An advertisement can be professionally designed and still send you somewhere other than the organization you intended to contact. Treat the route to a website as part of the transaction, especially when the next step asks for account access.
Consider a household trying to resolve a utility bill or book travel. A search result may look convenient precisely because it promises an immediate answer. Before giving information, return to a known bill, saved account page or official app. The extra step helps separate the service you need from the party trying to attract your click.
Recognize the pressure before making a payment
The FTC’s standing scam guidance highlights familiar organizations being impersonated, invented problems or prizes, pressure to act quickly and demands for particular payment methods. It advises contacting a company through a trusted website or independently located number instead of using contact details supplied in an unexpected message.
If the conversation suddenly changes from solving a problem to moving money urgently, pause. Write down what the person claims, close the message and check through an independent channel. Talking to someone you trust can also interrupt the pressure. A real account problem will be easier to assess with the actual provider than with an unknown caller controlling the conversation.
Report suspected scams through ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Keep useful details such as the website address, the advertisement and the time you saw it, without forwarding private account information to strangers. A report is not a guarantee that money will be recovered.
What to watch in the policy process
The important next distinction is between an invitation for evidence and an enforceable change. Any eventual obligations for platforms would need to be assessed from the final action, not inferred from this announcement.
Our guide to checking parking QR-code destinations covers a different entry point for the same everyday habit: verify the destination before trusting the payment request.
Illustrative computer workspace; no impersonation advertisement or affected consumer is pictured. Photo: Claudio Mota / Pexels.
