Investing, trading, forex and CFDs ads are restricted on Meta and restricted on Google. Prohibited: binary options, 'Contract for difference trading', penny or bidding-fee auctions, ICOs. The phrases most likely to cause trouble include "guaranteed returns", "risk-free", "double your money".
Binary options and CFDs prohibited, other investments allowed with licensing or verification
Sources: transparency.meta.com · transparency.meta.com · transparency.meta.com · facebook.com
Binary options prohibited, CFD, rolling spot FX and spread betting need certification
Sources: support.google.com · support.google.com · support.google.com
16 phrases that often lead to rejection, limited delivery or regulator action. High means the phrase or claim is named in a policy or ruling. Medium means it's our reading of a rule.
| Phrase | Why it's risky | Rule or source | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| guaranteed returns | Banned by Meta scam rules and Google unreliable claims | Meta: Prohibited commercial practices · Google: Unreliable claims transparency.meta.com · support.google.com | High |
| risk-free | Same | Meta: Prohibited commercial practices · Google: Unreliable claims transparency.meta.com · support.google.com | High |
| double your money | Unrealistic return claim | Google: Unreliable claims · Meta: Prohibited commercial practices support.google.com · transparency.meta.com | High |
| returns in 24 hours / daily profit | Quick-return claim | Meta: Prohibited commercial practices transparency.meta.com | High |
| cash flip / money flip | Named explicitly by Meta | Meta: Prohibited commercial practices transparency.meta.com | High |
| made 300% last year (past performance) | Past performance implying future results | Meta: Prohibited commercial practices transparency.meta.com | High |
| binary options | Banned on both platforms, banned for retail in EU (2018) and UK (2019) | Meta: Prohibited financial products · Google: Financial services · ESMA CFD and binary options measures (2018) · FCA binary options ban (2019) transparency.meta.com · support.google.com | High |
| CFD trading | Prohibited on Meta. Google needs certification | Meta: Financial services · Google: Complex speculative financial products transparency.meta.com · support.google.com | High |
| forex signals / copy my trades | Google disapproves signal destinations | Google: Complex speculative financial products support.google.com | High |
| best broker reviews / top 10 brokers | Affiliate or broker-review sites disapproved by Google | Google: Complex speculative financial products support.google.com | High |
| DM me / WhatsApp us to invest | Meta US ban on DM solicitation for investments | Meta: Financial services transparency.meta.com | High |
| earn while you sleep | Unrealistic reward for minimal effort | Meta: Prohibited commercial practices · Google: Unreliable claims transparency.meta.com · support.google.com | High |
| no risk, high leverage | Downplays risk, EU/UK leverage caps apply | Google: Unreliable claims · ESMA CFD and binary options measures (2018) support.google.com · esma.europa.eu | High |
| refer a friend bonus | FCA bans incentives for high-risk investments, ESMA bans CFD incentives | FCA high-risk investment rules (2022) · ESMA CFD and binary options measures (2018) fca.org.uk · esma.europa.eu | High |
| celebrity X invests with us | Celebrity-bait / public-figure impersonation | Meta: Prohibited commercial practices · Google: Unacceptable business practices transparency.meta.com · support.google.com | High |
| sure-shot tips | UAE SCA finfluencer rules bar guaranteed or 'sure-shot' claims | UAE SCA finfluencer rules financemiddleeast.com | High |
Before and after examples. Swap the bracketed parts for your real details.
Earn 5% daily guaranteed
Trade forex with an FCA-authorised broker. CFDs are complex, [X]% of retail accounts lose money.
Turn $500 into $5,000 this week
Learn how leverage works before you trade. Losses can exceed expectations.
My students made 300% last year
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
DM me 'INVEST' to start
Visit our website to read the key information document.
Risk-free trading platform
Capital at risk. Regulated by [regulator, licence no.].
ESMA agrees EU retail binary options ban and CFD limits (leverage 30:1 to 2:1, 50% margin close-out, negative balance protection, no incentives, standard loss warning)
Google restricts CFD, rolling spot FX and spread betting to certified advertisers, bans binary options and related aggregators and affiliates
UK FCA permanent ban on selling, marketing or distributing binary options to retail consumers
FCA high-risk investment promotion rules: refer-a-friend bonuses banned, stronger risk warnings, appropriateness checks
FCA s21 approver gateway in force
SEBI bars regulated entities from associating with unregistered persons who give advice or make return/performance claims
UAE SCA launches finfluencer licence
Google moves certification applications into Google Ads accounts
The adInstagram promotion of an unauthorised forex trading scheme (4.5M combined followers)
OutcomeFines up to £3,750 plus costs, discharges
LessonInfluencers are criminally liable for unauthorised financial promotions
The ad1,267 illegal financial ads on Meta, 66% from firms already on the FCA Warning List
Outcome120 takedown requests, Aaron Chalmers guilty plea
LessonPlatform policy alone is not enough, FCA checks the Warning List
The ad1,052 FX and complex-instrument ads from unauthorised advertisers, despite Meta's 2022 pledge to allow only FCA-authorised firms
OutcomePublic criticism, 56% repeat offenders
LessonExpect UK scrutiny of FX/CFD ads on Meta
Google: FX only (NFA). Meta: investment verification, FPS SAC and DM ban
FCA authorisation, binary ban since 2019, Google CSFP allowed with FCA licence, Meta CFDs prohibited globally
ESMA 2018 measures, Google CSFP in listed EEA states (not BE, FR, DK, ES)
Google CSFP allows CFD and FX if licensed by SCA, DFSA or FSRA, SCA finfluencer licence, Advertiser Permit from 31 Jan 2026
SEBI 2024 rules on unregistered finfluencers, Google CSFP not available for India (not listed)
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This tool is a pre-launch screen, not legal advice. Meta and Google do not publish banned-word lists, so each flag is a risk signal tied to a published rule, regulator ruling or court case. Policies change often. Data last checked 5 October 2026.