Fraudsters Are Using Google Ads to Clone Ads

Fraudsters and scammers are constantly finding new ways to promote and increase the visibility of their schemes. After all, that’s how they manage to reach a growing number of victims.

However, if you think consumers are the only ones affected by these actions, you’re mistaken—your brand can also suffer significant losses by being associated with these frauds.

That’s why it’s crucial to keep your company aware of the latest schemes in the market, protecting not only your reputation but also your consumers.

Join Branddi and learn more about the new Google Ads scam and how to safeguard your business against it!

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‍What is this new scam?

In mid-January of this year, researchers from Malwarebytes noticed a rise in scams involving fake ads published on Google Ads. The goal of these attacks was clear: to steal passwords, credentials, and other sensitive data.

To achieve this, scammers use phishing techniques to impersonate legitimate advertisers on Google Ads, redirecting users who click on the ads to fake versions of well-known brand websites. This is done using a WebSocket specifically designed to intercept 2FA codes.

In other words, these fraudsters purchase ads on Google Ads to display seemingly legitimate links in Google search results. As a result, they gain access not only to login credentials but also to additional security data, such as authentication codes—completely compromising the victim’s account.

Why is Google Ads the platform of choice?

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Why is Google Ads the platform of choice?

The selection of Google Ads for this type of scam is not random. The platform provides extensive visibility and precise targeting, making it easier for scammers to reach large audiences with deceptive ads.

Additionally, many users trust the ads displayed by Google without realizing they might be fraudulent. Scammers exploit loopholes in the verification process to publish malicious ads, often using popular keywords or those related to well-known brands.

How can this scam affect your brand?

At first glance, this scam may seem to only impact consumers and users. However, that’s not the case.

When a scam like this uses your brand’s name or visual identity to deceive users, the impact on your company’s reputation and profitability can be severe, leading to:

• Loss of consumer trust
• Additional costs for customer support
• Missed conversion opportunities
• Increased legal risks
• Erosion of the brand’s digital identity
• Negative media exposure
• Loss of investors and strategic partnerships

In other words, these combined effects can result in financial, strategic, and market losses for your brand. That’s why implementing preventive measures and strong digital protection strategies is crucial.

How can you protect your brand against phishing?

Although Google is actively working to prevent fraud on its platforms, it’s undeniable that these scams will continue to emerge. Scammers constantly find new loopholes and develop more sophisticated techniques to deceive users and businesses.

That’s why, to ensure the growth and digital security of your brand, relying solely on platform protections isn’t enough. It’s essential to adopt proactive and preventive strategies that keep your brand one step ahead of fraudsters.

And that’s where we at Branddi come in. Stay tuned to our content and discover how protection marketing can transform your brand’s digital presence!