EU Targets Apple in New Probe Over Fake Banking Apps and App Store Scams [Report]

The European Union is launching a new probe into whether Apple, Google, and Microsoft are doing enough to combat financial fraud on their platforms, reports the Financial Times. The inquiry will specifically scrutinize how Apple and Google are handling fake applications, such as fraudulent banking apps, in their app stores.

EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told the outlet that regulators would send formal requests for information to the companies this week under powers granted by the Digital Services Act (DSA). "We see that more and more criminal actions are taking place online," Virkkunen said. "We have to make sure that online platforms really take all their efforts to detect and prevent that kind of illegal content."

The EU estimates that online fraud already causes losses exceeding €4 billion annually, with the rise of artificial intelligence making scams harder to detect.


The move could lead to a formal investigation and potential fines of up to 6 percent of a company's annual global turnover. The probe adds another front to Apple's ongoing regulatory battles in Europe, where the company was recently fined €500 million for violating the Digital Markets Act's anti-steering rules. Apple also recently announced it would delay some iOS 26 features in the region, citing regulatory hurdles.

For its part, Apple has long touted its App Store review process as a key defense against fraudulent apps. In its 2024 App Store Transparency Report, the company said it had rejected nearly 2 million app submissions and prevented over $2 billion in fraudulent transactions.

The EU's new inquiry also targets fake search results on Google and Microsoft's Bing, as well as fake accommodation listings on Booking.com. The action comes amid broader transatlantic tensions over the EU's digital rulebook, with U.S. President Donald Trump having previously threatened higher tariffs on countries that "discriminate" against American companies.

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