Nine out of 10 support calls to make tech giants vet online ads against fraud

An overwhelming majority of the public supports calls on the Government to combat scam financial ads in its forthcoming Online Safety Bill, new research shows.

Some 87 per cent of those surveyed believe it should legislate to ensure search engines and social media sites do not mislead consumers or promote financial scams.

MPs recently slammed the Government for defying demands to cover paid-for ads, such as those on search engines like Google, in pending new legislation – despite backing for this also coming from regulators, top financial firms and consumer group Which?. 

The public polling by Aviva, revealed in a new fraud report, also found that 53 per cent of internet users don’t trust that the adverts on search engines are placed by a legitimate financial services company or provider.

Some 56 per cent don’t believe that search…