Meta, TikTok, and Google left 73% of reported scam ads online despite numerous complaints
Meta, TikTok, and Google left hundreds of scam advertisements online despite nearly 900 complaints from European consumer groups, an action that could have left millions of users vulnerable to financial fraud.
Meta, TikTok, Google logos, fake scam ad. Image by Cybernews.
Meta, TikTok, and Google left hundreds of scam advertisements online despite nearly 900 complaints from European consumer groups, an action that could have left millions of users vulnerable to financial fraud.
Between December 2025 and March 2026, BEUC and consumer interest groups from across 13 countries reported a total of 893 advertisements for breaching European law.
Of the approximately 900 reports, social media platforms took down only 27% of the ads, while 52% were rejected or ignored.
This means hundreds of financial scams are still active, reaching more than 200 million European consumers every month and risking further financial losses and other harms, BEUC alleges.
“It is essential to hold Meta, TikTok, and Google accountable. If they fail to address the financial scams circulating on their platforms, fraudsters will continue to reach millions of European consumers daily, leaving people at risk of losing hundreds to thousands of euros to fraud,” Agustín Reyna, Director General of BEUC, said in a statement.
The Digital Services Act (DSA) requires tech companies to have an easily accessible reporting system for malicious advertisements and to respond to reports seriously. In addition, the companies have to review their platforms for “systemic risks” and take measures to protect consumers. What the tech companies can’t do is turn a blind eye.
The conversation on this topic is live. Join in the discussion.
DSA fines can go as high as 6% of a company’s global annual turnover.
Google is disputing the European consumer organization’s claims.
Check if your data has been leaked
“We strictly enforce our ad policies, blocking over 99% of violating ads before they ever run. Our teams constantly update these defenses to stay ahead of scammers and protect people,” a company spokesperson told Reuters.
Meta is well aware of the fraudulent ads on its platforms.
According to internal documents, fraudulent and misleading ads generate approximately $16 billion, which accounts for about 10% of Meta’s overall annual revenue. In addition, users are shown roughly 15 billion so-called “higher risk” scam advertisements per day.
Unlock more exclusive Cybernews content on YouTube.