New Delhi: Meta has removed dozens of advertisements from Facebook and Instagram after the Indian government flagged a network of scam campaigns using sexually explicit content to push users towards malware capable of stealing banking information and draining accounts.
The action came after a government advisory warned about a growing pattern of financial fraud involving “malicious Android applications masquerading as pornography apps”.
The ads, operating under names including “Night Play” and “Kyss”, used sexually explicit material to attract users and redirect them to phishing websites, according to the government.
A Reuters review found at least 39 such advertisements remained active after the advisory was issued on Monday. Many featured sexually explicit video thumbnails designed to draw clicks.
Meta removed the ads shortly after Reuters brought them to the company’s attention and sought a response on the government advisory. The company did not respond to Reuters’ queries.
Reuters was the first to report Meta’s removal of the advertisements following the government’s warning.
The development comes as cyber fraud emerges as a major concern in India’s rapidly expanding digital payments ecosystem. Government data shows the country suffered nearly $2.4 billion in losses from cyber fraud in 2025.
One advertisement that was still active led users to a website promoting a video application claiming to offer hundreds of pornographic videos and continuous access to content. Users were asked to download a file named “Movexa.apk” directly, rather than install the application through an official app store.
According to the Indian government’s advisory, such applications can secretly access information stored on a user’s device, intercept one-time passwords and bank PINs, and transfer money without the account holder’s knowledge.
Meta’s advertising rules prohibit content featuring adult nudity and sexual activity. The company’s policies also bar advertisements promoting “products, services, schemes or offers using identified deceptive or misleading practices”, including those designed to defraud users of money.
This is the second instance in recent weeks in which Indian authorities have raised concerns about financial fraud linked to major technology platforms.
Reuters had earlier reported that the government directed Google to disable hundreds of accounts on its Firebase platform after investigators found that criminals were using the service to impersonate leading banks.
The scrutiny also follows a Reuters report last year that said Meta had internally projected that advertising involving scams and banned goods could account for about 10 per cent of its 2024 revenue, or approximately $16 billion, despite the company’s stated efforts to curb such advertisements.
With India’s digital economy expanding rapidly, authorities are increasingly focusing on the technology platforms and online services being exploited by fraudsters to target users.
BI Bureau
