Bank Leumi Sues Meta for NIS 26 Million Over Fraudulent Ads, Court Criticizes Meta's Delay Request

The Tel Aviv District Court expressed criticism of Meta's handling of a lawsuit filed against it last week by Bank Leumi, Israel's largest bank, seeking NIS 26 million in damages. The lawsuit concerns fraudulent advertisements impersonating the bank and spreading on Meta's platforms, causing harm to Bank Leumi's customers.

Meta requested to postpone its response and delay urgent hearings, arguing there was no urgency and that the bank itself delayed filing. However, Judge Hadva Weinbaum Volzky rejected Meta's request, stating the response should have been submitted within seven days as previously ordered. The court set a deadline of September 2 for Meta's response and plans to assign the case to a judge immediately after the summer recess.

Bank Leumi claims it urgently demanded Meta remove the financial fraud content using its name and trademarks, but Meta's replies were mostly dismissive or delayed, with one response arriving over a month after the report and offering only a partial solution. The bank condemned Meta for indifference to Israeli public fraud and accused it of prioritizing profit from ongoing scams even after the lawsuit was filed.

Meta has not issued a public comment on the matter. The case highlights escalating tensions between a major Israeli financial institution and a global tech giant over responsibility for fraudulent content on social media platforms.