Key Points:
- Google files a lawsuit against crypto scammers for defrauding users through fraudulent apps on Google Play. The lawsuit alleges multiple misrepresentations.
- The scammers lured victims through text message campaigns, online videos, and affiliate marketing.
- The highlighted app, TionRT, was uploaded to Google Play in 2022 and claimed to be a crypto exchange but failed to allow users to withdraw their funds.
- Google has a dedicated cybersecurity team that collaborates with law enforcement to address fraudulent activities effectively.
Google has taken legal action against a group of crypto scammers, filing a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, alleging that they defrauded over 100,000 people worldwide through fraudulent investment and crypto exchange apps uploaded to Google Play.
This move marks Google as the first tech company to combat crypto scammers actively, aiming to establish legal precedents and protections for users. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of making multiple misrepresentations to Google to upload their fraudulent apps, including false information about their identity and the nature of the applications.
According to Halimah DeLaine Prado, Google’s general counsel, the company views this as a unique opportunity to combat bad actors engaged in extensive crypto schemes. She emphasized that the lawsuit not only aims to protect users but also serves as a deterrent to future fraudulent activities.
The alleged scammers, identified as Yunfeng Sun and Hongnam Cheung, have been conducting their scheme since at least 2019. They lure victims through text message campaigns, online promotional videos, and affiliate marketing. They designed the apps to appear legitimate, claiming users could earn returns on investments, but victims could not withdraw their funds.
One of the highlighted apps, TionRT, claimed to be a crypto exchange and was uploaded to Google Play in 2022. Victims were enticed to download the app with promises of earning extra money, but they later found themselves unable to withdraw their funds. Google was alerted to the fake apps by victims who contacted the company after unsuccessful withdrawal attempts.
The lawsuit seeks damages over $75,000, citing expenses incurred by Google to investigate the breach and ensure safety and integrity resources. Additionally, Google is seeking a permanent injunction against the defendants to prevent them and their employees from creating Google accounts and accessing Google services.
Despite efforts to take the fraudulent apps offline, the scammers continuously created new ones and uploaded them to Google Play, using various tactics to obfuscate their identities and deceive the platform. In response to fraudulent activities, Google’s dedicated cybersecurity team constantly monitors its platforms and services for abuse. Sometimes, the company collaborates with law enforcement to address such issues effectively.
