Google suspends 700,000 fraudulent advertiser accounts using AI-generated deepfakes
Google reported suspending 700,000 fraudulent advertiser accounts in 2024 that used AI-generated deepfakes of celebrities and public figures to promote scams. The company blocked 415 million such ads, achieving a 90% reduction in complaints about this fraud type through early detection in account setup and generative AI fraud investigation tools.
What happened
Google reported in its 2024 annual Ads Safety Report published on 16 April 2025 that it suspended approximately 700,000 accounts of fraudulent advertisers in 2024.
These fraudulent advertisers attempted to conduct scams using internet advertisements containing images or audio generated with artificial intelligence, sometimes to suggest affiliation with celebrities or impersonate public figures.
Google blocked approximately 415 million such ads, resulting in a 90% decline in complaints about this type of scam in 2024.
Reported impact
Criminals commonly impersonated public bodies or celebrities to convey credibility, with AI-generated content simulating voices and faces from publicly available interview clips and appearances.
The fraudulent videos typically promoted dubious products such as easy money schemes and were distributed through paid advertisements on platforms including YouTube, partner websites and Google search results.
Index analysis
Google used generative AI tools to accelerate investigations into complex abuses, improving the ability to discover and prevent criminal networks and repeat offenders.
The company removed more than 5.1 billion ads overall in 2024 and suspended more than 39 million advertiser accounts for policy violations, primarily for abusing the advertising network and misusing trademarks.
Governance controls
Google stated it invested throughout 2024 to stop fraudulent schemes early in the account setup process, preventing numerous fraudulent ads from being displayed.
The company's advertiser validation program covers 200 countries and territories, with more than 90% of ads seen by people on Google coming on average from validated advertisers.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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