Meta, a social networking company with nearly 4 billion users, is testing how to use facial recognition technology to combat fake celebrity ads on its platform, Cointelegraph reported.

Meta said early testing showed "promising results" and it would trial 50,000 celebrities and public figures in the coming weeks.

The system compares images in ads with Facebook and Instagram profile pictures of celebrities to identify scam ads. If a match is confirmed and the ad is determined to be a scam, it will be blocked.

Celebrities such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk, US TV host Oprah Winfrey and Australian mining billionaires Andrew Forrest and Gina Rinehart have been impersonated in scam ads.

Meta said the move was part of a broader crackdown on "celebrity bait" scams that violated the company's policies and were detrimental to users.

Meta will soon begin sending in-app notifications to many of the celebrities targeted, informing them that they have been included in the protection measures and can opt out.

Meta said it would immediately delete facial data generated when determining whether a celebrity ad was a scam and use facial recognition technology to let people verify their identities and regain access to stolen accounts.

Despite the increase in cryptocurrency scam ads on Facebook, Meta has denied claims by Australia’s consumer watchdog that nearly 60% of crypto investment schemes on Facebook in August were scams.