Google Sues Scammers Who Target Small Businesses

ByLA STARTUPS November 30, 2022

Google has announced a lawsuit against scammers who have been targeting small businesses. The scam consists of making predatory telemarketing calls to small businesses and attempting to charge them for verification of their profile. Google’s lawsuit signifies an ongoing and proactive effort to crack down on vulnerable targets.

“Today we are filing a lawsuit against scammers who sought to defraud hundreds of small businesses by impersonating Google through telemarketing calls,” said Google in a blog post. “They also created websites advertising the purchase of fake reviews, both positive and negative, to manipulate reviews of Business Profiles on Google Search and Maps. This practice exploits entrepreneurs and small businesses—and it violates our policies on deceptive content.”

Google goes on to explain “A Business Profile is a tool that allows business owners to take charge of the way their business appears on Search and Maps. And it allows consumers to find their favorite (or, soon-to-be favorite) coffee shops, restaurants, or hardware stores. It’s a tool designed to empower people. However, some scammers have tried to abuse and profit from it through deceptive and predatory practices.”

Also points out “In 2021 alone, we stopped more than 12 million attempts from bad actors to create fake Business Profiles and nearly 8 million attempts from bad actors to claim Business Profiles that didn’t belong to them.”

Google’s lawsuit against scammers sends a clear message: it won’t stand for this kind of predatory behavior. Google is looking out for small businesses and demonstrating that it takes their safety seriously. With Google’s commitment to protecting small businesses, the internet just got a little bit safer.

Now, let’s turn the tables on those scammers and have Google come to the rescue!

LA STARTUPS

Website | + posts

LAStartups.com is a digital lifestyle publication that covers the culture of startups and technology companies in Los Angeles. It is the go-to site for people who want to keep up with what matters in Los Angeles’ tech and startups from those who know the city best.

Related Posts

What We Know About Google Parent Company Alphabet's Acquisition of HubSpot

What We Know About Google Parent Company Alphabet's Acquisition of HubSpot

What We Know About Google Parent Company...

In case you missed it, the tech world has been...

Embracing Change: LAStartups.com Unveils New Logo Reflecting...

LAStartups.com, a central hub for tech startups in the City...

Google Search Introduces AI-Powered Grammar Checker

Google has recently incorporated a new feature into its Search...

Newlight Completes US$125M In New Equity Round...

Huntington Beach-based startup, Newlight Technologies, Inc., a pioneering company in...

OpenAI Introduces a Series of Significant ChatGPT...

OpenAI, the organization behind the renowned generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT,...

TikTok's "Gimme The Mic": A New Platform...

TikTok, the globally renowned social media platform, has recently unveiled...

CVS Health To Lay Off Thousands by...

CVS Health, a leading American healthcare company, has recently announced...

Google Assistant Undergoes AI Transformation

In a recent development, Google Assistant is set to receive...

YouTube Star MrBeast Sues Over 'Inedible' Burgers

Popular YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, has filed...

Reed Jobs Launches $200 Million Venture Fund...

Reed Jobs, the son of the late Steve Jobs and...

Arrive Recommerce, Inc. Secures $16M in Series...

Santa Monica-based startup, Arrive Recommerce, Inc., a technology company that...

Stack Overflow Leaps into Generative AI with...

Stack Overflow, the renowned platform for developers, is disrupting its...

Futureverse Secures $54 Million in Series A...

The LA-based startup, Futureverse, a leading AI and metaverse technology...

KOMI Raises $12 Million in Funding Round,...

LA-based startup, KOMI, a creator commerce tool that has been...

Shopify Unveils Sidekick: A ChatGPT-like Tool for...

Shopify, a leading e-commerce platform, has announced the launch of...

Spotify's Financial Struggles: More Layoffs on the...

In a recent earnings call, Spotify's co-founder and CEO, Daniel...

TikTok Diversifies: Introduces Text-Only Posts Amidst Intensifying...

In a bid to stay competitive in the escalating battle...

Twitter's Identity Crisis: The Unexpected Rebranding to...

Twitter, the globally recognized social media platform, has significantly rebranded....

Apple Dips into Conversational AI Waters with...

Apple Inc., the global titan in technology, has now turned...

Meta Releases Llama 2 Open-Source AI Model

Today, Facebook's parent company Meta has announced the launch of...

C-Quester: The Pioneering Startup Transforming Carbon Capture

The startup C-Quester, founded by Caltech Ph.D. student Alan Gu...