February 17, 2009 3:00 pm GMT
Google scams – Scams using the Google brand
by Gary IllyesGoogle is one of the greatest brands of the internet, that’s an incontestable statement. If not the greatest. This greatness brings with itself publicity, however this publicity brings with itself an unwanted thing as well: scams using the Google brand.
In this article we will list some of the Google scam we are aware of; please note that these scams are in no way related to Google Inc. and that it’s not a full list.
Google Scams – fast cash promises, identity theft, phishing
Google Cash scam: One of the most notorious Google scams is Google Cash Scam. This system promises its users incomes up to $33.000 (USD) for almost no work. This system is basically an e-book and is one of the lightest form of scam as it is based on misinformation regarding the use of the Google AdWords online advertising platform. Under misinformation we mean that the author of the e-book presents for the readers information that is deprecated and currently is — almost entirely — against the Google AdWords Terms of Service. Another bad aspect of the Google Cash scam is that even though the user purchases this e-book for a minimal price, later it will be charged on monthly basis with greater sums and without its consent. Canceling the application is almost impossible since none of the contact methods presented on the Google Cash website and its affiliates’ is actually working.
This Google Cash system has been derived in many other forms and names. Unknown authors are publishing and offering for a fee their “knowledge” presented in form of an e-book. Some of the other names Google Cash has been derived to is Google Cash Cow, Google Cash Kit, Google Fast Cash, etc. All of these are basically e-books and repeats what Chris Carpenter, the author of the Google Cash scam has already covered in his book.
Google AdWords phishing messages: A much harsher form of scam are the Google AdWords phishing messages. If you get messages which states that you are required to update your AdWords contact information please do not click any links contained in the email body, but type the AdWords domain (http://adwords.google.com) in the address bar of your browser and verify whether the AdWords team really requested update or not.
If you click on the links from within the emails, a login page very similar to the Google AdWords login page will show up. If you enter your login information, specifically your Google AdWords username/email and password, these credentials will be sent to the scammers’ databases and they can use to access your AdWords and Google account, including the Google Checkout account and steal all your centrally stored information. This includes, but not limited to your address, phone number(s) and credit/debit card information.
Google Lottery: We got emails which states that our spam-catcher email address has been selected as the winner of a great prize, usually well above 2 million US Dollars. Nothing bad with that, it’s common to get such email but this email was a bit different as it stated that the lottery was initiated by Google. They required from us to email back to a specific email address information regarding our person. This was just another use of the Google brand to steal someone’s personally identifiable information.
Google scams seemingly are prospering.
Why Google doesn’t do anything to stop the Google Scams?
Regarding the AdWords phishing messages, they do go after each sender and they try to disable the webservers they used to send the messages. However this requires the users to be aware of the phishing messages and to effectively report each message they receive.
For the rest of the scams, we answer with a question: can it? It would be an enormous work and pointless in the same time as new affiliate websites would pop up in no time if Google would try to remove from its results the scam-sites or to remove them completely from their host.
You can take some steps to avoid scams and phishing
- Whenever you get messages which states you have to update your information on a specific web service, do not click the links the author of the email provided in the email body, but go to the website using your browser’s address bar or bookmarks
- If you are on a login page, always check the URL. If the URL is not familiar, close the specific window/tab and try to login from the domain of the service you are trying to log in to.
- Forget the “Getting rich fast” and similar cliches. There is no such thing
- Whenever a party claims that you are the winner of a prize, be extremely cautious regarding what type of information you supply for them. Ask for an URL to their Terms of Contest and Privacy Policy and read it thoroughly
- Avoid any service which is payed and has no contacting method(s) provided
- Whenever you are on to signing up to a service where you have to provide your credit card number or other personally identifiable information, do a search on google for the “service name scam” (replace the service name with the specific service’s name)
andre on Sat, 11th Apr 2009 11:28 pm
hey i was scam by some one in china how can i file a complaint to google
Gary Illyes on Sun, 12th Apr 2009 7:37 am
To Google?
Why Google? Google is not authoritative in this subject.
Dave on Mon, 18th May 2009 5:55 pm
I’ve never heard of this Google Brand Scam until I stumbled on [EN: link removed. Please do not advertise scam sites]
He was in Lynnwood WA Area? So am I. There is no pipe company and hasn’t been, if there were, I would Know! Photo of a new SUV should have him in it, but anyone can take a pic. I went to his links to see What was up. He Said this was Google. At the very bottom of the page in small print it states:
Google™ does not endorse or sponsor this site and is in no way affiliated with FastCash or Google ATM. That was where I stopped. How could this be Google if Google says we have nothing to do with this site? Wierd, very wierd. so I ultimately navigated to this page. So, are such bogus sites required by some kind of Law to make that statement? and If so is that a good enough indicator to make us LEAVE? I ask because someone posted a message saying basically, people involved in this system, say it is a scam because they don’t want people signing up, because they want all the traffic and money for themselves. In other words, you yourself would be trying to make people Think it’s a scam because you are signed up and making money with the system, but you want it to be your little secret and make all the money. 2’s company and 3’s a crowd kinda thing.
karin on Fri, 19th Jun 2009 3:40 am
I received an email that said I could make money with google and all they did was take money 0ut of my bank account and it wasnt google why doesnt google sue. Its a big fraud
Veronica on Sun, 26th Jul 2009 6:33 am
WOW! I was a split second away from entering my visa card in then i decided to do some investigating..i am soooo happy i did!!
And for real it says Google is in no way associated with this website..those F&@K!RS
Roger on Wed, 2nd Sep 2009 6:35 pm
PWW*Google is on my checking account that took $2.95 & $79.90 from my account besides causing me a $70.00 overdraft,and the number through the bank for them is 1-800-497-4988 and they say they are Google when I ask. I have received nothing, but wasted no time changing my atm. Why doesn’t google stop this if it isn’t them?
Roger on Wed, 2nd Sep 2009 6:44 pm
From: “Billing Support” Add sender to Contacts
Hello Roger ,
Your Start Up Kit using Google account has been closed effective: Wed Sep 2 10:46:01 2009.
This includes all services related to this account.
Your cancellation confirmation number is: 1265520
Please feel free to contact us should you require any further assistance. Please include a copy of this Email for reference.
Thank You,
Billing Support
They have told me on phone calls I will receive no refunds.
Roger on Wed, 2nd Sep 2009 6:48 pm
“Billing Support”
To be exact.
Sandi on Tue, 8th Sep 2009 12:00 am
I to ordered Google money kit online which came over from Facebook on several occasions. As you do, you think Hmmm sounds interesting i was prompted to pay a small fee of £1.99. I did not receive the kit and have been subsequently charged by PWW*Google ATM for £42.66 on 05/08/2009 I contacted Google and explained i’m being charged for a service that i am not using and therefore wish to cancel they advised me to go back to Adsense and cancell through Google email. Upon checking my account tonight i notice i have been charged again by PWW*Internet Biz K for £44.01 who seem to be a different/alias company. Obviously i’m not happy and its definiately a lesson to be learnt. I contacted my bank and was told that they could not refund the money because the company had my card details. The only way to stop this is by cancelling the Debit card and shutting down my Bank account THIS IS BIG TIME FRAUD from an unknown cyber criminal. Google know who they are and are making money from it by sharing your card details. I CURSE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO TAKE GREAT JOY OUT OF SCAMMING HARD WORKING PEOPLE. MAY THEY SUFFER FATALIES WITH THE MONEY THEY’VE ROBBED FROM ME AND OTHERS.