Scammers target Google Ads to mimic crypto recovering service

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As a seasoned crypto investor who has navigated through the wild west of digital currency since its early days, I can’t help but shake my head at the never-ending parade of scams that continue to plague our beloved community. The latest scheme involving fraudulent Google Ads mimicking Revoke Cash is yet another reminder that even the most trusted platforms can be exploited by bad actors looking to line their pockets with our hard-earned crypto.

Unscrupulous individuals are taking advantage of Google Ads by creating fake ads that resemble the Revoke Cash cryptocurrency refund service. In doing so, they deceive users into surrendering their digital funds.

Fraudsters are pretending to be the Revoke Cash cryptocurrency recovery service on Google ads, tricking people into visiting a fake website where they can have their funds stolen.

On September 13th, analysts at ScamSniffer, a blockchain investigative firm, issued a warning about misleading ads that show up in Google search results. These ads seem legitimate at first, directing traffic to “revoke.cash.” However, they are actually rerouted to the fraudulent site “revokc-cash.com,” which is designed to steal cryptocurrency funds from unsuspecting users by deception.

⚠ Attention: We found phishing ads on Google search that are aimed at users of RevokeCash. If you’re a cryptocurrency user, be cautious when viewing ad sections during your searches. To protect yourself, consider utilizing ad-blocking tools to filter out these ads. Stay vigilant! 🔐✨

— Scam Sniffer | Web3 Anti-Scam (@realScamSniffer) September 13, 2024

2019 saw the arrival of Revoke Cash, a service specifically developed to aid users in regaining control over cryptocurrencies that were either misplaced or stolen. By terminating unauthorized access to these funds and reinforcing account security, it ensures the safe recovery of digital assets.

As a researcher, I find myself alarmed by a concerning pattern: malicious entities exploiting Google’s advertising platform to advertise fraudulent crypto websites. Just recently, an incident strikingly similar occurred in April, where Google Ads inadvertently endorsed a sham version of the Whales Market, a popular over-the-counter cryptocurrency trading platform. Interacting with this ad led unsuspecting users to a counterfeit site, “www.whaels.market,” which was laced with malicious scripts designed to infiltrate and compromise digital wallets.

The constant misuse of Google Ads for fraudulent activities highlights the enduring weaknesses in digital advertising networks. In response, it appears that Google is taking action against deceivers. Notably, in early April, the corporation filed a lawsuit against two individuals from China, Yunfeng Sun and Hongnam Cheung, accused of exploiting the Google Play store to con people into investing in non-existent cryptocurrencies.

In the recent lawsuit, the involved apps weren’t explicitly named, but Google revealed that they had disabled approximately 90 fraudulent apps linked to Sun and Cheung during the last four years. These apps together amassed close to 100,000 downloads globally.

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2024-09-13 12:54