Google Maps can be used for scams! Crooks do not hesitate to modify business telephone numbers displayed on the cards so that victims contact them without being suspicious of the well-crafted trap.
We repeat it over and over again, but there is a lot of mistrust on the Internet, especially since the danger is not always where we expect it. And if we know that we must be wary of emails and SMS which can be used for phishing attempts, we do not necessarily think of checking the information that we find on sites as common and useful as Google Maps . Because yes, even the web giant’s mapping service can be used as a breeding ground for scammers to set up scams. In 2019, The Wall Street Journal discovered that it was infested with millions of fake companies. But you can also be fooled with the real ones, because you don’t necessarily think to be wary of the phone numbers displayed on the different pages.
Yet Google gives almost anyone the ability to change information, such as opening hours and contact details. Suffice to say that it is the door open to crooks! On Twitter, a user named Shmuli Evers says he ran into a hacker while trying to call his airline to book a new flight. The company number, like many others, had been replaced without anyone noticing. Result: when a person makes a phone call, it falls directly on a scam, while the information in the application is considered safe and legitimate by users.
Google Maps scam: when scammers change coordinates
Following the cancellation of her flight, Shmuli Evers decided to call her airline to book a new one. Not finding a way to contact her directly on her website, he went to Google Maps to find her phone number. But the first attempt at communication was cut short, as the person on the line quickly hung up. A few minutes later, Shmuli was called back by another number. The caller introduced himself as a member of the airline and offered him another flight as a substitute, before asking him to text a third number to confirm his reservation and pay for his new flight while he canceled the old one.
Do you feel the circle? Anyway, Shmuli got a good sniff of it and refused to give out her payment information over the phone. The scammer then tried to contact him several times, asking him to pay a sum five times greater than that initially announced. After some research, Shmuli realizes that several airline numbers have been replaced on Google Maps, such as Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Qantas Airlines, AirFrance US or American Airlines.
This scam technique is not new, far from it. Also, it is good to remember that you should not rely on the results of a Google search to obtain the contact details of an airline or any other company. You should remain vigilant and take your time, including in an emergency. The best thing is to go directly to the official website or app to get the right information. Be alert to signs that you may not be talking to the right person, and do not hesitate to do your research, asking in advance the price of the service, for example. And, above all, keep in mind that you should never be charged over the phone!