AI against scams: Google removes 5.1b ads over scams

*Restricts 9.1b more

* Suspends 39m advertiser accounts in 2024

*Attacks misinformation online

 By Juliet Umeh

As online scams grow more sophisticated, often using AI-generated content or impersonating trusted figures, technology giant, Google is deploying powerful new artificial intelligence tools to stop harmful ads before they ever reach users.

Ad fraud is one of the biggest challenges faced by the digital advertising industry. It cost businesses an estimated $100 billion in 2022 representing only about 20 per cent of the $500 billion in global ad spend. Unfortunately, these types of scams are often overlooked.

In its newly released 2024 Ads Safety Report, Google revealed the massive scale of its ongoing crackdown: 5.1 billion ads blocked or removed, 9.1 billion ads restricted, and over 39 million advertiser accounts suspended, much of it done proactively through AI-driven detection systems.

General Manager for Ads Safety at Google, Alex Rodriguez said: “At the heart of this progress is artificial intelligence. We launched over 50 enhancements to our AI models in 2024 alone, which helped us move faster, identify threats earlier, and take action before bad actors could reach users. That’s the real power of AI, making the internet safer not just reactively, but proactively.”

The report underscores a growing reliance on AI to combat the surge in online threats. These include fraud signals like stolen payment details, fake business identities, and coordinated scam networks, many of which have been especially rampant across African countries like Nigeria.

In response, Google updated its Misrepresentation Policy and deployed a global team of over 100 experts to handle scam-related content. The impact was significant: over 700,000 scam-related advertiser accounts were removed, contributing to a 90 per cent decrease in reported impersonation scams.

In a year where nearly half the global population went to the polls, Google also ramped up election ad transparency. Political advertisers are now required to verify their identities and clearly disclose funding sources. As a result, more than 10 million election-related ads were removed globally for failing to meet the new standards.

While these numbers are global, the impact is deeply local. In Nigeria, for example, citizens have faced a wave of impersonation scams, phishing attacks, and misleading political ads. For small business owners, digital creators, and everyday users, Google’s proactive ad safety efforts are helping to ensure that the online ecosystem remains trustworthy and secure.

Beyond enforcement, the report highlights ongoing collaboration with global stakeholders including regulators, consumer protection agencies, and platforms like the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, ensuring a unified front against evolving threats.

As the digital world becomes more complex, the 2024 Ads Safety Report offers a reassuring reminder: AI isn’t just enhancing convenience, it’s increasingly defending trust.