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.