The Federal Trade Commission is asking whether online platforms should face new obligations when their advertising tools help spread ads that impersonate businesses or government agencies. It has opened an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, not adopted a new rule.
The agency's September 24 notice focuses on ad-optimization services offered by social networks, search engines and digital marketplaces. It seeks evidence about how those tools select audiences and shape the delivery of ads, what platforms do to vet advertisers, and whether changes to the existing Impersonation Rule or a separate rule are warranted. Measures under consideration include advertiser screening, monitoring, removing confirmed scam ads and action against offending advertisers.
The FTC says consumers filed more than one million imposter-scam reports in 2025 and reported nearly $3.5 billion in losses. Those are reported losses, not an estimate of all fraud. The agency also says nearly 30% of consumers who reported losing money to scammers in 2025 said the first contact was on social media. Neither figure by itself proves a platform caused a particular loss.
The public comment deadline will be 60 days after the notice appears in the Federal Register. That publication date, rather than September 24, sets the clock. No new platform duty takes effect from this notice alone.
For people searching online for help with a bill or debt, the distinction between an official service and an ad that copies its name matters. Before providing account information or paying a supposed relief provider, navigate independently to the agency or provider's official site. Financialist's state-by-state debt help guide is a separate starting point for understanding state-specific debt rules; it is not a substitute for checking an offer's identity.