Google names and shames sites that prey on users

Scams use Google brand to lure victims.

Google has warned web users of misleading adverts that promise high cash returns from using the search service.

The scams make promises such as, “Use Google to make 100s of dollars!” and “Easy cash with Google: you could be making up to $978 a day working from home!”

The use of Google’s name and logo trick people into sending payment information, said the web giant in a blog post.

Google said users should keep clear of the following schemes: Google Adwork, Google ATM, Google Biz Kit, Google Cash, Earn Google Cash Kit, Google Fortune, Google Marketing Kit, Google Profits, The Home Business Kit for Google, Google StartUp Kit and Google Works.

“Misleading ads try to take advantage of consumers in the midst of a difficult economy, and as the economic situation has worsened, the problem has only grown,” said the blog post.

“Even as we're taking legal action to try to cut these sites off at the source, we're still working constantly to remove scammy URLs from our index, and we'll permanently disable AdWords accounts that provide a poor or harmful user experience, whether or not they use Google's trademarks illegally.”

Google warned that even though it is fighting the issue, it can not guarantee the schemes will stop. The firm advised budding web entrepreneurs to create online businesses that serve users rather than trying to make cash quickly through an illegal operation.

To highlight its efforts to curb these scams, Google said it is filing a suit against Pacific WebWorks, which it accuses of defrauding users by offering bogus e-auction services.