London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Aug 28, 2025

Facebook and Google 'failed to remove scam adverts'

Facebook and Google 'failed to remove scam adverts'

Facebook and Google failed to remove online scam adverts after fraud victims reported them, according to consumer watchdog Which?

Google had failed to remove 34% of the scam adverts reported to it, compared with 26% at Facebook, the study indicated.

Both companies said they removed fraudulent adverts, which are banned on their platforms.

But Which? said a more proactive approach was needed.

The report also found:

*  15% of those surveyed had fallen victim to a scam advert and reported it

*  of these, 27% had been on Facebook and 19% on Google

*  43% of victims did not report the scam to the technology companies

On Facebook, the biggest reason people did not report the scam was they doubted anything would be done.

On Google, it was because the victim did not know how to report the scam. Which? researchers said Google’s reporting process was complex and unclear.

Warn consumers


“The combination of inaction from online platforms when scam ads are reported, low reporting levels by scam victims and the ease with which advertisers can post new fraudulent adverts even after the original ad has been removed suggests that online platforms need to take a far more proactive approach to prevent fraudulent content from reaching potential victims in the first place,” Which? said.

And it has launched a free scam-alert service to warn consumers of the latest tactics used by fraudsters.

“There is no doubt that tech giants, regulators and the government need to go to greater lengths to prevent scams from flourishing,” Adam French, consumer rights expert at Which?, said.

“Online platforms must be given a legal responsibility to identify, remove and prevent fake and fraudulent content on their sites… and the government needs to act now.”

Violating policies


A Facebook representative said: "Fraudulent activity is not allowed on Facebook and we have taken action on a number of pages reported to us by Which?”

Google, meanwhile, said it had removed or blocked more than 3.1 billion ads for violating policies.

"We're constantly reviewing ads, sites and accounts to ensure they comply with our policies,” the company added.

"We have strict policies that govern the kinds of ads that we allow to run on our platform.

"We enforce those policies vigorously -, and if we find ads that are in violation, we remove them.

"We utilise a mix of automated systems and human review to enforce our policies."


There are so many rules governing what you can advertise on radio, television and in print that by comparison the internet is a Wild West.

Facebook and Google do have rules about what can and cannot be advertised on their platforms - but they are businesses of scale and it would cost them money to check every ad before it goes live.

So they don't bother.

Reactive moderation is a game of whack-a-mole that leaves consumers vulnerable to scams on platforms they think are trustworthy.

On top of that, a third of the victims surveyed by Which? said they did not bother reporting scam ads because they thought Facebook would not remove them.

And they are right to be sceptical.

Face regulation


On Facebook and Instagram, one company has been using videos and photos of me to sell a face mask it claims I am modelling - but that is impossible because I made the face mask myself.

Facebook lets you report an ad as "misleading" but does not allow you to explain why - and since the company in question is selling some sort of face mask, its moderators let the ad stay up for weeks.

Google, meanwhile, does not let you know whether it has taken any action on your report - and its ads remain littered with companies that break the search giant's own rules.

Little wonder consumer groups are now asking for the technology giants to face regulation.


Reporter Dan Whitworth was phoned by a fraudster and managed to record the call


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
×