India warned of scam app ads; Meta ads continued for days
Indian authorities issued a warning about apps advertising scam websites, but ads remained active on Facebook and Instagram for five days after the advisory.
India's Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) issued a warning on August 26 about fraudulent Android apps advertised on Facebook and Instagram to steal banking credentials. These apps were masquerading as pornography services.
Five days after the advisory, on August 31, at least 39 such ads were still running. Meta removed the ads only after Reuters inquired about them, declining to comment on the removal or the advisory.
The sequence highlights Meta's reliance on external parties for enforcement. India has reported significant financial losses due to cyber fraud, with a growing trend of exploiting digital payment infrastructure.
The advisory, released by the National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit (NCTAU), named seven app variants: Night Play, Reloop, Kyss, Vimo, Rivo, Nexo, and Vixa. It detailed a six-stage process where ads lead users to phishing sites, prompt downloads of apps outside official stores, and then request device permissions to facilitate unauthorized financial transactions.
Meta has faced prior criticism regarding its handling of scam advertisements. Internal documents revealed Meta's projection of significant revenue from ads for scams and prohibited goods. Despite Meta's denials and emphasis on its countermeasures, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the UK's Financial Conduct Authority have initiated inquiries into the company's role in facilitating financial fraud.
This is not the first time Indian authorities have engaged with Meta on such issues. Earlier this year, Meta faced scrutiny over ads promoting child sexual abuse material. In three separate instances, ads have passed review processes only to be removed after external parties identified them and contacted the company.