Facebook sues ILikeAd, alleges ad fraud

Facebook Inc on Thursday sued a Hong Kong company that it said baited people into clicking on celebrities’ photos and bogus advertising links, so it could install malware and run ads for counterfeit goods, diet pills and male enhancement supplements.

The social media company accused ILikeAd Media International Co software developer Chen Xiao Cong and marketer Huang Tao of using improper “celeb bait” and “cloaking” practices since at least 2016.

Facebook said this enabled the defendants to hijack users’ ad accounts, known as “account take over fraud,” violating its terms of service and advertising policies.

None of the defendants could immediately be reached for comment. The complaint filed in the federal court in San Francisco seeks unspecified damages and a Facebook ban.