Mark Cuban Accuses Facebook of Allowing AI Deepfake Scams as Meta Faces $16B Revenue Claim

Mark Cuban has accused Facebook of allowing scammers to use AI-generated versions of his face and voice to sell fake diabetes treatments, as internal Meta documents reportedly estimated the company could generate about $16 billion in annual revenue from scams and prohibited goods.

Cuban said he regularly hears from older Americans who believe they purchased a $294 diabetes treatment promoted with his likeness, even though he never endorsed or sold the products.

The allegations come as Meta faces scrutiny over how its platforms detect fraudulent advertising. Internal documents reportedly estimated that scams and prohibited products accounted for about 10% of Meta's 2024 revenue, although the company has disputed the figure as rough and overly inclusive.

Cuban Says AI Deepfakes Promote Fake Treatments

Cuban made the comments during an August appearance on the Pivot podcast, describing messages he receives from people who believe they bought a diabetes treatment endorsed by him. Some consumers reportedly paid $294 for products Cuban said he had never sold or endorsed.

The advertisements allegedly use AI-generated copies of Cuban's face and voice to make the products appear legitimate. Some reportedly include disclaimers stating that the person shown is AI-generated and that the material is intended as entertainment.

Cuban argued that such disclaimers do little to prevent consumers from being misled by the broader sales pitch. He criticised Facebook for allowing the advertisements to appear on the platform and said the company knows that people are being targeted.

Cuban also co-founded Cost Plus Drugs, an online pharmacy that sells generic medicines. He has said the diabetes products promoted through the advertisements were not sold or endorsed by him.

Meta Documents Detail Billions in Scam Advertising

Internal Meta documents reportedly projected about $16 billion in 2024 revenue from advertisements promoting scams and prohibited products. A December 2024 document estimated that users across Meta's platforms were shown about 15 billion higher-risk scam advertisements each day. Another document estimated annualised revenue from that category at about $7 billion.

A May 2025 presentation by Meta's safety staff estimated that the company's platforms played a role in about one-third of successful scams in the US. The documents also indicated that Meta's automated systems needed to assess an advertiser as at least 95% likely to be committing fraud before the account could be banned. Advertisers below that threshold could continue placing ads, with suspected scammers potentially facing higher advertising rates.

Meta spokesman Andy Stone disputed the characterisation of the documents, saying they presented a selective view that distorted the company's approach to fraud and scams. Stone described the 10% revenue estimate as rough and overly inclusive.

Meta said complaints about scam advertisements had fallen 58% over the previous 18 months. The company also said it removed more than 134 million scam advertisements in 2025. The documents reportedly indicated that the US Securities and Exchange Commission was examining Meta over advertising linked to financial fraud.

Older Americans Report Billions in Losses

The concerns are particularly significant for older Americans, who reported billions of dollars in losses from online crime in 2025. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded more than 201,000 complaints from victims over 60, with reported losses exceeding $7.7 billion. Losses increased 59% from 2024.

Investment schemes accounted for about $3.5 billion in reported losses, while technology and customer support scams accounted for another $1.04 billion. The FBI recorded 22,364 complaints involving artificial intelligence across all age groups in 2025, with adjusted losses of about $893.3 million. The agency said AI can help criminals create convincing synthetic content, including manipulated audio and video, fake social media profiles, and personalised communications.

Why AI Deepfakes Increase Scam Risks

AI-generated faces, voices, and videos can make fraudulent endorsements appear more credible, particularly when scammers use a recognisable public figure to promote a medical product. Consumers should be cautious when a celebrity appears to endorse an unfamiliar treatment, especially when an advertisement claims to cure a serious illness.

Checking the product independently and searching its name alongside terms such as scam or fraud can help identify warnings. People who believe they have been targeted by an online scam can report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. The FBI said it froze $32.9 million linked to cases involving older victims in 2025.

Cuban's allegations illustrate how AI-generated likenesses can be used to give fraudulent medical advertising the appearance of a legitimate celebrity endorsement. The claims also come amid wider questions about how effectively Meta identifies and removes scam advertisements from its platforms.