Poland urges EU to fine Meta €250 M over scam ads and false advertising

With that stern warning, Poland is officially taking the fight against online fraud to Brussels, demanding a massive €250 million penalty against Meta.

Behind the push is a shocking cybersecurity audit revealing that tech giants are routinely turning a blind eye to dangerous financial scams—leaving millions of users vulnerable to predatory online ads.

Polish Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski formally asked the European Commission to impose a $291 million fine on Meta, declaring that platform inaction on fraudulent promotions has gone too far.

Data from CERT Polska Poland’s national cybersecurity incident response team revealed that out of 122 flagged fraudulent ads, Meta refused to remove them in 86.8% of the cases (106 instances), removing only 10.

In a letter to the European Commission that tests conducted by CERT Polska, the national cybersecurity incident response team, found 122 advertisements that were classified as fraudulent.

"In 106 cases, or 86.8% of reports, Meta concluded the case with a decision not to remove the advertisement. Only 10 ads were removed, and in 6 cases no response was provided," minister Krzysztof Gawkowski posted on X.

"I also call on Meta to immediately introduce effective tools to eliminate scams, false advertising, and the promotion of illegal applications," he added.

As reported by Reuters, Meta platform came under fire for allegations that its products were harmful to children and that the company was misleading the public about their safety.

In Poland, the platform was criticized for failing to effectively respond to fraudulent advertisements and sued by billionaire Rafal Brzoska over fake advertisements.

The move intensifies Europe-wide compliance scrutiny on Big Tech under EU digital frameworks, compounding pressure on Meta regarding content oversight and user safety.

In lawsuit filed by Brzoska, the Warsaw appellate court ruled in April 2026 that Meta was responsible for adds it hosts on its platforms.

In court Mark Zuckerberg founded platform has argued it is not responsible for the fraudulent actions of its users.

"Despite repeated reports from the relevant Polish authorities and teams responsible for cybersecurity, Meta still does not provide an effective and adequate response ​to fraudulent advertisements," minister Krzysztof Gawkowski posted on X.