The European Commission is taking a hard stand against online consumer fraud. They are demanding social media companies to remove scams appearing on their websites. The commission has ordered Facebook, Twitter, and Google to take the initiative. They have ordered the group to prevent illicit content from appearing in their pages.

According to the Verge, social media newbies are prone to such consumer-based fraud. They added that it can be hard for new users to detect scam from the constant stream of information. The European union addresses the issue in two parts. First, the sites would need to clarify their terms of service to better protect users from scams. In short, social media networks cannot waive a consumers' mandatory rights.

These includes a consumer's right to withdraw from an online sale, according to the EU. The commission added that sponsored content should also be easy to identify.

Second, the EU also identified fraudulent posts that can often mislead consumers. These include scams involving payment from consumers. Subscription traps that offer consumers a free trial but are not given exact details. Continuous marketing of counterfeited products and Fake promotions.

Fake promotions include the notorious "win a smartphone for 1 €." Such posts are in fact true contests but hide long-term subscriptions for hundreds of Euros per year.

The commission said that it has already met the three companies. The EU will give them one month to propose solutions that will follow its regulations. Failing to meet the regulatory framework will risk legal action coming from the EU.

Scams and illicit content have been circulating around the web since the dawn of the internet. They victimize unsuspecting users by using click-baits to funnel them in fraudulent transactions.

It is always advised to avoid clicking suspicious looking content while online. Stay tuned for more news and updates.