Which?: ‘More to be done to stop fraud’

The “whack-a-mole” approach to protecting people from fraud when they are searching the internet is not working, Which? has warned.

The consumer group said tech giants, banks, regulators and the government must all do more to stop victims facing the devastating consequences of scams.

Fake ads can remain live for weeks, even after public warnings about them have been issued, Which? said.

It found dozens of investment comparison websites advertising on Google or Bing that were already on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warning list or soon would be.

It said this suggests significant flaws in the monitoring processes used by search engines.

Which? said it had found three websites still running despite using a phone number known to the FCA – highlighting that the “whack-a-mole” approach to tackling the issue is not working.

Rogue investment websites may continue operating by simply changing their web addresses and using Google or Bing to readvertise, it added.

The consumer group said much of the recent growth in scams has been fuelled by criminals shifting their activities online.

Which? analysis of Action Fraud figures suggests around £3,234 is being reported lost to scams every minute. Many scams also go unreported.

A statement given to Which? by Google said: “When ads do not comply with our policies, we take immediate action to remove them.”

Regarding Bing, a Microsoft statement said: “As our policies clearly state, advertisers who promote financial products and services must ensure they comply with all applicable local laws.”