EU Consumer Groups File Complaints Against Meta, TikTok, and Google Over Scam Ads Reaching 200 Million Users Monthly

Major Complaints Filed Across Europe

The European Consumer Organisation, known as BEUC, alongside 29 consumer groups spanning the European Union, have filed formal complaints against Alphabet's Google, Meta Platforms, and TikTok. The complaints, lodged with the European Commission and national authorities, accuse the three tech giants of failing to protect users from a flood of financial scam advertisements proliferating across their platforms.

The Investigation Behind the Complaints

Consumer associations from 13 countries conducted a four-month investigation between December 2025 and March 2026. During that period, the organisations identified nearly 900 advertisements suspected of breaching EU law. Despite the platforms being warned about these advertisements, only 27% were removed. The remainder were either rejected from removal requests or simply ignored by the platforms.

Scale of the Problem

BEUC's report, titled "Sponsored by Scammers," alleges that fraudulent financial advertisements on the three platforms reach more than 200 million European consumers each month. This puts a staggering number of people at risk of significant financial losses. Consumer groups argue these failures contravene the EU's Digital Services Act, which legally requires online platforms to take meaningful action against illegal content appearing on their services.

Platforms Push Back

A Google spokesperson disputed the claims, stating the company blocks over 99% of violating advertisements before they ever run. Google has highlighted its AI-powered detection tools designed to stop fraudulent advertising at scale. Meta and TikTok did not immediately respond to the complaints. However, a Reuters investigation published in late 2025 estimated that Meta earns as much as $7 billion annually from high-risk scam advertisements. Internal company documents reportedly showed that Meta's platforms display an estimated 15 billion higher-risk scam advertisements to users daily.

Part of a Broader Crackdown

The complaints arrive amid intensifying EU scrutiny of Big Tech platforms. In November 2025, EU lawmakers agreed on new rules that would hold social media companies legally liable for financial fraud when they fail to remove reported scam content. The European Commission previously asked Google and other platforms in September 2025 to disclose how they manage financial scam risks under Digital Services Act authority.

What Comes Next

Agustín Reyna, BEUC's Director General, has consistently called on platforms to do more to shield consumers from deceptive advertising. With the new complaints now before regulators, the central question is whether the European Commission will open formal Digital Services Act enforcement proceedings against the three companies, potentially leading to substantial fines and mandatory operational changes.