GOOGLE has warned millions of Maps users about a new scam on the app that could easily trick unsuspecting victims.
Billions of people rely on Google Maps every month with many using its “contributed content” for the latest reviews and ratings – and that includes fraudsters.
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Contributed content is things such as videos, reviews and ratings that can help you find the best restaurant, hairdresser or even plumber in town.
It can be extremely helpful, but sometimes online fraudsters can use it for their own gains.
Google has recognised that in some instances scammers have been overlaying inaccurate phone numbers on the top of contributed photos.
This means that the unsuspecting victim could be tricked into calling the fraudster instead of the actual business.
To combat this the tech giant has deployed a “new machine learning model” that recognises numbers overlaid on the images, by analysing the layout of photos.
Google said: “With this model, we successfully detected and blocked the vast majority of these fraudulent and policy-violating images before they were published.”
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Along with this Google also revealed other ways they improved their service in 2022, including uncovering abuse patterns faster, removing fake reviews, taking down blurry and low-quality content and removing fake business profiles.
Google has also recently highlighted six “killer phrases” that could be lurking in your inbox that could empty your bank account.
It warned Gmail users that “Sometimes, scammers pose as Google customer service or tech support to request money transfers.”
They warned users to be vigilant and advised that their tech support emails “would never ask for your passwords, passcodes or password reset link.”
Another dangerous type of scam the tech giant warns about are fake ads on a website or marketplace.
Google says: ” A scammer creates a fake advertisement for a puppy or another type of pet,” Google explained.
“If you contact them, they may request that you send payment before they deliver the animal.
“Then, if you pay, you will never receive the puppy or pet.”
Google advises in order to avoid being scammed, it is best not to rush into anything, but take your time and ask yourself whether the transaction seems legitimate.
