Meta has removed dozens of advertisements from Facebook and Instagram after Indian authorities warned that criminals were using fake pornography apps to trick people into downloading malware capable of stealing financial information.

The scam works by using sexually explicit material as bait. Users are shown advertisements promoting apps that appear to offer adult videos, but clicking on them can lead to websites that encourage people to install Android applications from outside official app stores.

Those applications can then gain access to sensitive information on a victim's phone and potentially be used to steal money.

India's cybercrime authorities issued a warning after noticing an increase in financial fraud linked to these malicious apps. The government identified several names being used in the campaigns, including "Night Play" and "Kyss."

The warning appears to have prompted action from Meta.

Reuters found that at least 39 of the suspicious advertisements were still running after the Indian advisory had been issued. After Reuters contacted Meta about the ads, the company removed them.

How the scam traps victims

The advertisements are designed to make the user believe they are downloading an ordinary entertainment or video application.

Instead of taking users directly to a legitimate app store, some of the advertisements redirect them to websites where they are encouraged to download an APK file.

That is an important part of the scam.

Android allows applications to be installed from outside Google Play, but doing so can expose users to applications that have not gone through the normal app-store security checks.

Once installed, the malicious software can request powerful permissions. India's cybercrime authorities warned that some of these applications could access information stored on phones, capture one-time passwords and bank PINs, and potentially enable unauthorised transactions.

In some cases, criminals can also use the infected device in the background without the victim immediately realising what has happened.

The Indian government has identified a number of app names associated with the activity, including Night Play, Reloop, Kyss, Vimo, Rivo, Nexo and Vixa, although officials warned that similar versions could appear under other names.

The advertisements were still appearing after the warning

The incident also raises questions about how quickly fraudulent advertisements can slip through automated advertising systems.

Meta's advertising rules prohibit adult sexual content as well as deceptive or misleading offers. Yet the suspicious advertisements were still visible after Indian authorities had already issued their warning.

Reuters found 39 active examples before Meta removed them following the company's contact with the news agency.

That does not necessarily mean every advertisement was approved manually. Large social media platforms process enormous volumes of advertising, much of it through automated systems, giving scammers opportunities to repeatedly create new campaigns and accounts.

For criminals, the attraction is obvious: social media gives them access to large audiences, while provocative images and videos can generate quick attention from people who might otherwise ignore an unfamiliar advertisement.

India is dealing with a growing fraud problem

The issue is particularly serious in India because digital payments have become deeply embedded in everyday life.

Government figures cited by Reuters put India's cyber-fraud losses at almost $2.4 billion in 2025.

That makes access to banking information, payment credentials and one-time passwords extremely valuable to criminals.

The fake-app campaign is also not an isolated concern for Indian authorities.

In another recent case, the government directed Google to shut down hundreds of accounts on its Firebase platform after discovering that criminals were using the service to impersonate major banks.

The repeated warnings show how scammers are increasingly using legitimate technology platforms as part of larger fraud operations.

Meta is under increasing pressure over scam advertising

The latest incident comes at a difficult time for Meta, which operates some of the world's largest social media platforms.

The company has repeatedly said it is investing in systems designed to detect scams and remove fraudulent content.

But the sheer volume and changing nature of online fraud makes enforcement difficult.

A scammer whose advertisement is removed can create another account, change the wording or images and submit another campaign. That means platforms are effectively playing a continuous game of catching networks that can quickly adapt.

Meta's own internal projections, reported by Reuters last year, estimated that scam and banned-goods advertising could have represented around $16 billion, or roughly 10% of the company's 2024 revenue. The company has continued to say it is working to reduce such activity.

A simple mistake can become an expensive one

For ordinary users, the episode is another reminder that an advertisement appearing on a major social media platform does not automatically mean the product being promoted is legitimate.

One of the clearest warning signs in this particular campaign is the request to install an Android application from outside an official app store.

Users should be especially cautious when an unfamiliar website asks them to disable security protections, grant extensive accessibility permissions or install an APK file simply to access a video or other online content.

A convincing advertisement can be enough to get someone to the first step. From there, the malware does the rest.

The fact that Meta removed the advertisements after they were brought to the company's attention is a positive step, but the episode also shows how quickly fraudulent campaigns can reach users before they are detected.

For India's cybercrime authorities, the warning is about more than fake adult apps. It is another example of criminals finding creative ways to turn everyday internet habits into opportunities for financial theft.