Meta has removed dozens of malware-related ads in India

Meta Platforms removed dozens of ads on Monday after Indian authorities uncovered an advertising scheme on Facebook and Instagram that lured users with sexual content and pushed them to download malicious software.

According to the Indian government, such ads redirected users to phishing websites and offered Android applications disguised as pornographic apps. Their goal was to steal users' banking data and transfer funds out of their bank accounts.

Authorities noted that ads running on Facebook and Instagram, including ones named "Night Play" and "Kyss," directed users to similar sites.

After the government's warning was issued, Reuters found at least 39 such ads still active. Many of them used thumbnails of sexually explicit videos to grab users' attention. After Reuters notified Meta about the ads, the company removed them shortly afterward.

Meta did not respond to Reuters' questions on the matter.

Meta's advertising policies prohibit adult nudity and sexual activity in ads, as well as the use of fraudulent or misleading practices.

The problem of cyber fraud is particularly severe in India. According to government data, losses from cyber fraud in the country reached nearly $2.4 billion in 2025, driven in part by the rapid growth of digital payments.

According to Reuters, this is already the second instance in recent weeks in which Indian authorities have exposed financial fraud issues on a major technology platform. Previously, authorities had demanded that Google shut down hundreds of accounts on its Firebase platform, as fraudsters were using them to impersonate major banks and deceive users.

One of the ads redirected users to a video app website offering hundreds of pornographic videos. To access the content, users were required to download a "Movexa.apk" file, bypassing the official app store.

According to the Indian government's warning, such applications could gain covert access to information stored on the phone, capture one-time passwords (OTPs) and banking PINs, and transfer funds out of bank accounts without the user's knowledge.