EU Probes Apple, Google, Microsoft Over Financial Fraud Epidemic

• EU regulators investigate tech giants for their role in enabling online financial scams.
• Companies could face fines of up to 6% of their global annual turnover.

EU regulators have launched an investigation into Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Booking Holdings over their responses to financial fraud, according to multiple reports from September 23, 2025. The inquiry, conducted under the Digital Services Act (DSA), targets the increasing spread of illegal and harmful content on digital platforms.

Reuters reported that the evaluation will scrutinize fraudulent apps within Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, particularly fake banking applications designed to steal user data. Google’s search engine and Microsoft’s Bing are also being examined for misleading search results that may lead consumers to financial losses. Additionally, Booking Holdings will be investigated for handling fraudulent accommodation listings on Booking.com.

Henna Virkkunen, the EU tech chief, highlighted the urgency of these measures, emphasizing that criminal activity online continues to grow. She confirmed that platforms must take greater responsibility in detecting and blocking illegal content that risks user safety.

The DSA imposes strict compliance requirements for tech firms operating within the EU. Noncompliance could result in fines of up to 6% of global annual revenue. This formal inquiry could lead to broader investigations and severe legal penalties if companies fail to meet prescribed standards.

The scale of fraudulent activity underscores the importance of enforcement. Google removed nearly four million apps from its Play Store in the past year due to policy breaches, including data privacy violations. Apple’s Transparency Report from 2024 disclosed that over 82,509 apps were expelled from its App Store, while 1.93 million submissions were rejected for fraud, data abuse, or design flaws.

This investigation deepens existing tensions between EU and US officials regarding digital regulations. The US President has previously threatened retaliatory tariffs against nations perceived as unfairly targeting American tech firms. EU leaders defended the DSA, arguing that its sole aim is to create safer digital platforms, regardless of the nationality of the companies involved.

As of September 23, 2025, at 12:00 UTC, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $26,576, reflecting a 1.2% increase in 24-hour trading volume, according to CoinMarketCap. Ethereum (ETH) stands at $1,573, with a 0.5% uptick during the same period.