EU Consumer Groups File Complaints Against Google, Meta, TikTok Over Financial Scam Ads
Consumer organizations in the EU filed complaints against Google, Meta, and TikTok on 21 May 2026, alleging the platforms fail to adequately remove or prevent fraudulent financial advertisements. The groups reported that their own notifications resulted in only 27% of alleged scam ads being removed, leaving millions of European consumers at risk of financial loss.
What happened
The Organização Europeia de Consumidores (BEUC) and 29 consumer organizations from 27 European countries filed complaints on 21 May 2026 against Google, Meta, and TikTok with the European Commission and national regulators under the Digital Services Act.
The groups alleged that the platforms fail to remove fraudulent advertisements proactively and take little action when notified of financial scams. Between December 2025 and March 2026, the consumer groups reported about 900 suspicious advertisements violating EU law, but the platforms removed only 27% of the ads, with 52% of reports rejected or ignored.
Reported impact
The consumer groups stated that fraudulent financial offers circulate on the platforms, potentially leaving millions of European consumers at daily risk of losing hundreds or thousands of euros to fraud.
Index analysis
Google stated it blocks more than 99% of advertisements violating its policy before they are seen. Meta said it found and removed over 159 million fraudulent advertisements in the previous year, with 92% removed before anyone reported them. Both companies stated they use advanced AI and tools to prevent fraudulent content. TikTok acknowledged that scams are a sector-wide challenge.
Governance controls
The Digital Services Act requires large online platforms to do more to combat illegal and harmful content. Consumer groups requested that regulators investigate whether the companies comply with the rules and apply fines, which can reach 6% of a company's global annual revenue under the DSA.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.