Google Ads is being used to promote scam crypto websites, putting users at risk of phishing attacks. According to a report, Scammers have created a fake version of Whales Market, an over-the-counter (OTC) crypto platform, and advertised it through sponsored ads on Google search results.
A deceitful website might show up as a paid search result on Google, enticing users to click. At first glance, it may seem trustworthy with a seemingly legitimate domain name, such as [www.whales.market]. However, once you visit the site, you will be unknowingly directed to a fraudulent version: [www.whaels.market].
A false Whales Market site deceitfully replicates the genuine version, enticing users to link their digital wallets. After connection, hidden scripts are activated, emptying crypto assets from the unsuspecting victims’ wallets.
In November 2021, Check Point Research uncovered a cryptocurrency swindle where over hundreds of thousands of dollars were taken through deceitful Google Ads. These ads, disguised as legitimate ones for popular wallets such as Phantom App, MetaMask, and Pancake Swap, steer users towards counterfeit websites that closely resemble genuine wallet sites.
Users who didn’t suspect anything entered their wallet passwords, only to fall victim to theft right away. This incident serves as a reminder of the persistent problem with scammers exploiting Google’s platform for cryptocurrency fraud, even with Google’s ongoing efforts to prevent it.
About two weeks ago, a legal action was initiated by the firm against two Chinese individuals, accused of tricking people into false crypto investment opportunities via the Google Play store. It came to light that Google had previously terminated 87 deceitful apps linked to these individuals, which had gained approximately 100,000 downloads globally during the past four years.
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2024-04-19 16:04