Mar 25, 2025 07:00:00

Finally, more than 10,000 fake reviews, bait-and-switches and other fraudulent businesses have been removed from Google Maps, and the mastermind of fraud is being sued by Google

Google has announced that it will take legal action against scammers who post false information on Google Maps to deceive users.

Google finds 10,000 fake listings on Google Maps, sues alleged network of scammers - CBS News

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/google-maps-fake-listings-lawsuit-scams/

Google investigated a report from a locksmith company in Texas that said 'someone was pretending to be the company without authorization,' and discovered that more than 10,000 cases of fraudulent postings of false information were occurring.

Scammers would pose as locksmiths, towing companies, or other businesses that users would contact to resolve an emergency, then either divert users to the real company and collect a referral fee, or refer them to an entirely different company that charged significantly more than the fair price, thus defrauding their victims.

In addition, they impersonated companies using completely different accounts, as well as hacking into accounts and falsifying information.

CBS News, which reported on the issue, said that as a way to protect yourself from scams, 'If something seems strange, like you're being asked for more information than necessary, stop and verify the legitimacy of the company.' Google general counsel Halima Delaine Prado also said, 'Check the company's URL and phone number to make sure it's who you think it is, and be particularly wary if you're asked to pay by an unusual method, like a gift card.'

Additionally, scammers have been found to be selling reviews. Our research shows that these scammers do not operate alone, but work with agents around the world to expand their reach using social media. In one example cited in the lawsuit, scammers used multiple Facebook groups to advertise the sale of five-star reviews.

Google said, 'When we receive reports of actual fraudulent activity, we make every effort to identify similar fraudulent listings,' and also spoke about its efforts so far, saying, 'In 2023, we removed or blocked approximately 12 million fake business profiles.'

Google has pledged to donate any damages it receives from the lawsuit to organizations working to eradicate fraud.