Meta sued in Japan over celebrity investment scams

The victims are demanding that Facebook Japan pay 23 million yen (S$201,000) in damages. - PHOTO: REUTERS

TOKYO (AFP): Four scam victims in Japan sued Facebook on Thursday after being hoodwinked by fraudulent online investment ads that used images of celebrities without their consent, their lawyer said.

Online hoaxes posted on Facebook and other social media channels in Japan led to 27.8 billion yen ($178 million) in losses last year, according to the National Police Agency.