Internet scammers are finding themselves in hot water for trying to capitalize on the hype surrounding Google’s new AI chatbot, Bard. The tech giant has filed a lawsuit in California against unnamed defendants who are falsely claiming to offer Bard for download.
The scammers have set up social media pages and run ads to trick users into downloading malware instead of Google’s AI service. The malware then steals login credentials, allowing the scammers to take over social media accounts.
Google Says Scammers Have No Affiliation and Are Impersonating the Company
According to Google’s lawsuit, the scammers have no actual affiliation with the company. However, they are using Google’s trademarks and acting as if they represent the tech firm. Their ads entice victims by mentioning Google, Google AI, and Bard specifically.
The promoted Facebook posts are a key distribution method for the malware. Once users click the link, the downloaded file infects their computer instead of providing access to Bard.
Emerging Tech Like AI Ripe for Scams, Just Like Crypto
This incident highlights how new, popular technologies can become tools for scammers to take advantage of public interest. The lawsuit notes how the scammers imply Bard is a paid, downloadable app or service, when it’s really free on Google’s website.
In the same way, hype around cryptocurrencies enabled many crypto-related scams. When people don’t fully understand how something new works, it creates opportunities for fraud. Additionally, you can also read about- Don’t Lose Your Google Data: Save Your Inactive Accounts from Deletion
Google Takes Legal Action to Set Precedent and Disrupt Scams
Google says it has already submitted several hundred takedown requests related to the Bard scams. However, the company wants to prevent future incidents and disable these scammers for good. The lawsuit aims to establish a clear legal precedent against this behavior.
Additionally, disrupting the domain names and other infrastructure used for the scams will hamper the ability to conduct more fraud. Google wants registrars to disable domains associated with the deceptive ads and malware. Legal action raises the stakes, making scammers think twice before impersonating Google and other tech firms.
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