Google has taken decisive action against fraudulent activities on its mapping service by removing 10,000 fake business listings. Additionally, the company filed a lawsuit against the scam network responsible for creating and profiting from these false profiles. According to Google’s lawsuit, a person associated with the network created fake business profiles on Google Maps and sold them to make money.
Scammers’ Tactics and Google’s Response
The fraudulent listings came to light after a Texas plumbing service contacted Google, reporting that their business was being impersonated on Google Maps. Halimah DeLaine Prado, Google’s general counsel, emphasized the growing sophistication of scammers. “Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Whenever we learn of a scam, we take extraordinary measures to identify these fake listings,” she stated.
Scammers use fake Google Maps profiles to deceive potential victims in several ways. People may encounter a fake advertisement and contact the phone number listed. Fraudsters can then either offer the advertised services at a much higher fee or persuade the victims to pay in advance, after which the services are never provided. In addition, scammers often employ special software to generate fake positive reviews and inflate their ratings, making the fraudulent listings appear more credible.
Google’s Broader Anti-Scam Efforts
In 2023 alone, Google blocked and removed 12 million fake business profiles, reminds NIX Solutions. According to available data, the number of such fake ads increases by about 1 million each year. The company is also actively targeting businesses that manipulate their ratings by posting fake reviews. These efforts are part of Google’s broader initiative to maintain the integrity of its platform and protect users from fraud.
We’ll keep you updated as Google continues to combat scams and introduces more measures to counter these deceptive practices.