GOOGLE Maps has made an important change that can protect your bank from raiding scams.
The web mapping platform allows businesses to set up profiles which show up in local searches.
Most people assume they are accurate business listings, however, it appears thousands of them are fake and part of a scam.
Google recently unearthed over 10,000 phony listings in Google Maps, CBS News reported on Wednesday.
The listings varied from outright fake businesses to legitimate accounts that had been hacked or hijacked by cybercriminals.
Google swiftly removed the listings and filed a lawsuit against the alleged scammers.
Three red flags to watch out for
In an interview with CBS Mornings, Google General Counsel Halimah DeLaine Prado shared some tips on avoiding these types of scams.
- Using Scam Spotter, a website that Google and the Cybercrime Support Network collaborates with, users can identify scams.
- Verify a website’s URL for accuracy and watch for misspellings, as these can signal fraudulent sites.
- Be cautious of services requesting unnecessary personal details, like your social security number
The old bait-and-switch tactic
Prado also explained how the network of deceit unfolded.
It began after a business in Texas complained to Google than an unlicensed locksmith was impersonating them on Google Maps.
The scammers had replaced the existing phone number with their own.
Anyone who called the new number would then have phoned the scammers.
Using this tactic, scammers prayed upon those who might have been locked out of their homes – putting them in a vulnerable position.
Prado said: “Small and medium businesses use those listings for word of mouth and discoverability.
“Consumers use the reviews for those listings to make decisions on what service to use or not to use.
“A fake profile and a fake review undermine the trust you have in that ecosystem.”
Following this scandal, Google removed the fraudulent listing and scoured for more.
It also filed a lawsuit that charges a man working with a larger network, ZDNET reported.
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