Google is the first big name in tech to file a direct complaint against two scammers targeting its users. The latter developed several dozen applications which they then published on the Play Store, encouraging their victims to invest in cryptocurrencies.
It is not uncommon to see Google remove dozens of applications from the Play Store for violating its rules of use – understand that said applications generally hide scams or malware. It is rarer, however, to see the Mountain View firm directly attack the creators of these false applications. Today, Google is filing a complaint against two very prolific Play Store scammers.
Their technique is not revolutionary. Through fake investment applications, the two hackers tricked more than 100,000 people into paying them money in the hope of significant returns. The latter even used the good old love scam technique to lure their victim into their trap. “My name is Sophia, do you remember me? “, this is the kind of message that one might think hackneyed that scammers were sending to their target.
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Google takes on two Play Store scammers head-on
The scale of their business, however, is more impressive. According to Google, scammers have created no fewer than 87 fraudulent apps since their debut in 2019, all of which they managed to pass off as legitimate in the eyes of the Play Store. Likewise, the amount of loot is enough to make you dizzy. Google claims that the winnings are between 100 dollars and several tens of thousands of dollars which, compared to the number of victims, easily exceeds a million dollars in total.
“This trial is a crucial step in holding these perpetrators accountable and sending a clear message that we will aggressively pursue those who seek to take advantage of our users,” said Google General Counsel Halimah DeLaine Prado. The firm argues that this affair has tarnished the image of the Play Store, reducing user confidence in the platform.
Source: The Verge