Meta Faces Scrutiny Over Failure to Police Illegal Financial Ads in the UK

U.S. Tech giant Meta has repeatedly failed to prevent illegal advertisements for high-risk financial products from appearing on its platforms – Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp – in the United Kingdom, despite prior commitments to do so. The findings come from a review conducted by Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Scale of the Problem

The FCA’s review revealed that during a single week in November 2025, 1,052 advertisements for currency trading and complex financial instruments were posted on Meta’s platforms by advertisers not authorized by the regulator to promote them [Reuters]. A significant portion – 56% – of these ads originated from unauthorized advertisers that the FCA had previously flagged to Meta [The Independent].

Repeat Offenders and FCA Concerns

The FCA conducted a follow-up review a week later in December, yielding similar results. The regulator noted that a modest number of repeat offenders were responsible for the majority of the illegal advertisements discovered [Times of India].

The FCA had previously warned in 2025 about the increasing targeting of individuals on social media by online trading scams offering currency trades [Times of India]. This review was initiated to assess Meta’s effectiveness in removing these fraudulent advertisements.

Meta’s Response

Ryan Daniels, a spokesperson for Meta, stated that the company actively combats fraud and scams globally and takes swift action on the majority of reports within days [The Independent].

Broader Implications

The FCA emphasized the prevalence of fraud in the UK, noting that over half of some scams originate on Meta’s platforms. The regulator stressed the importance of Meta utilizing its tools to protect users from scam content [The Independent]. Worldwide, billions of users have been exposed to fraudulent ads on Meta’s platforms, including those for e-commerce schemes, investment scams, illegal casinos, and banned medical products [The Independent].