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Scam ads promoting fake tax breaks prosper on Facebook

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Hundreds of ads running on Facebook for over a year promised U.S. homeowners that governors in their state had just signed off on big tax breaks for installing solar energy panels on their roofs.

But the tax incentives were simply made up.

The scam ads used photos of some U.S. governors and sometimes President Donald Trump to claim that with new, lucrative tax incentives, people might actually make money when they add solar technology to their home. Facebook users only needed to enter contact information to find out more.

Governors’ offices confirmed the offers aren’t real.

Experts say these kinds of ads show how easily misinformation festers online and raises questions about if big tech companies such as Facebook are really capable of policing their own ads.

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

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The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
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