Google pursues crooks behind thousands of false commercial lists on cards

Google is pursuing a network of crooks who have manipulated Google Maps by simulating or diverting around 10,000 commercial lists to remove people. The main defendant appointed in the trial is a man from Maryland who would have played a central role in the program by helping to coordinate teams of crooks from around the world to realize it.

The trial, first reported By CBS News, declares the man for two years “abused Google services to create false online announcements for companies that do not exist and to strengthen them with false criticism from people who do not exist”. He also claims that the man engaged in a “lead generation” program by selling information to other crooks on the people he has attracted by his false commercial lists.

A common scam involved a victim calling for a company, such as a locksmith, found on Google Maps, only to be reassigned to another number. This number would connect them to an unrelated locksmith, which could charge an inflated price for the service once you arrive at home. “This behavior misleads consumers and is likely to erode their confidence in commercial profiles on Google as a reliable and sure way to find and contact local businesses,” said the company in the trial.

Google said he had received a complaint from a locksmith in Texas who was usurped in the identity of Google Maps, then started a more in -depth investigation on what discovered a broader trend. The company used automated digitization tools and a dedicated analyst team to investigate complaints and suspicious activities, discovering thousands of false profiles or diverted commercial accounts that had been taken up by crooks.

Google deleted these False Ads from Google Maps, blocked the accounts that created them and put legal action in response. However, the trial has said that the Maryland man’s program remains “active and underway” with its latest scam attempts against companies in the Washington DC region in recent weeks.

“False announcements are prohibited on Google Maps, and we use a range of tools to protect businesses and users,” said Google Halimah Delaine Prado lawyer in a statement sent to CNET. “This dispute is based on our efforts and sends a clear message that the identity patterns will not be tolerated.”

To avoid being the victim of these scams, Prado advised on “CBS Mornings Plus” this week that users visit Scamspotters.com to find the latest warnings. She also recommended to check the URLs to ensure that they correspond to the legitimate company, a break if requested unnecessary personal information such as a social security number for a broadcast list, and to monitor spelling mistakes, bank transfer requests or requests for gift card payments.