Hacked, robbed, then banned: Canton business owner’s meta AI nightmare

May 4, 2026 - 22:00

A small-business owner in Canton says he has been living through a digital nightmare after his Facebook account was hacked not once, but twice. During the second breach, thieves made off with $950 from his linked account. But the ordeal did not end there. Shortly after reporting the theft, Meta permanently banned him from the platform, accusing him of one of the most horrific crimes imaginable.

The business owner, who relies on Facebook to promote his local shop and connect with customers, says he has been left completely in the dark. He has tried repeatedly to contact Meta for help, but says the company has offered no explanation and no path to appeal. The automated systems, he claims, flagged his account based on false accusations with no human review.

He describes the experience as surreal. He lost money, lost access to his business page, and now faces a permanent ban tied to a crime he did not commit. He says Meta's AI-driven moderation system is broken, punishing victims instead of protecting them. Without a real person to talk to, he feels trapped.

This case highlights growing frustration among small business owners who depend on Meta's platforms. When things go wrong, there is often no customer service, no accountability, and no way to fix a mistake made by an algorithm. For this Canton owner, the nightmare continues with no resolution in sight.