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According to a 2026 Forbes investigation, TikTok reduced the number of advertiser violations eligible for an immediate ban from 37 to 13 in fall 2025. The report says non-delivery scams—where a buyer pays for goods that never arrive—were no longer treated as grounds for immediate suspension. Forbes based its account on four TikTok insiders and internal policy documents it reviewed; the underlying documents and data are not independently available here.
The report also connects the policy change with a rise in scams, but public Federal Trade Commission figures cover social media as a whole. They do not establish that TikTok’s rule change caused an increase.
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What did TikTok reportedly change?
Forbes reported that a fall 2025 TikTok policy change reduced the advertiser violations that could trigger an immediate ban from 37 to 13. The report says non-delivery scams were removed from the immediate-suspension category. In a non-delivery scam, a shopper pays for an item—sometimes after seeing a deal on a familiar brand—but the goods never arrive.
Forbes said it reviewed internal policy documents and spoke with four TikTok insiders. The account is reproduced by Qoshe; the underlying documents are not available for independent examination here. TikTok’s response, as quoted in the report, was: “TikTok strictly prohibits fraudulent and deceptive advertising, and we have continuously strengthened our policies and enforcement systems to address evolving risks and safeguard our community and partners.”
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What does the reported advertiser figure mean?
Forbes reported that internal TikTok data showed more than 100,000 advertisers per day who would previously have been immediately banned were allowed to remain after the change. This is a figure attributed to internal data by Forbes, not a public TikTok statistic independently confirmed here. It describes advertisers affected by the changed enforcement threshold; it is not a count of proven scam advertisers or consumer losses.
Do the FTC figures show that TikTok’s change caused more scams?
No. The FTC’s April 2026 spotlight reported $2.1 billion in losses from 2025 fraud reports that identified social media as the contact method. Nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam said it started on social media. The FTC said shopping scams were the most reported social-media scam, and more than 40% of people reporting social-media scam losses said the scam began when they ordered something seen in an ad. Those figures cover social media platforms collectively, not TikTok specifically.
In a separate August 2026 alert, the FTC said people reported more than $95 million in 2025 losses to scams that began after ordering something seen in a social-media ad. That is also a cross-platform figure, with a distinct description and measure; it should not be combined with the $2.1 billion total.
The timing of the reported TikTok policy change and the FTC’s figures does not prove a causal link. The FTC data do not isolate TikTok or test whether this particular rule change affected scam activity. The FTC also cautions that reported losses are incomplete because many scams go unreported.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How can you reduce the risk of buying from a scam ad?
Check the seller outside the ad
Before paying, search the seller’s name along with “scam” or “complaint,” and look for information independent of the advertisement. The FTC warns that social-media platforms do not always thoroughly vet ads or the advertisers behind them. A familiar logo or a deal shown in an ad is not, by itself, proof that the seller is legitimate.
Report suspicious advertising
You can report a suspected scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reporting helps authorities collect complaints, but it does not guarantee a refund.
Act quickly if you already paid
Contact the payment service, bank, or card issuer you used and ask whether the transaction can be reversed or refunded. If you paid by credit card, the FTC advises contacting the card issuer promptly and asking for a refund. Recovery is not guaranteed, but acting quickly gives your provider a chance to explain the options available for that payment.
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