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December 22, 2023 12:33 am | Updated 12:33 am IST – Chennai
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The Greater Chennai City Police have issued an advisory on Google Map Scam to which a few people have already fallen prey and lost their money.
“A scammer asks you to rate or review a business on Google Maps that you have not visited. Once they gain your trust, they may demand money in exchange for more similar jobs. Then they offer ₹100 or ₹150 as an initial salary. They then take it further, stating that ₹5,000 or more can be earned per day. Never reply to such messages,” said a senior police officer of Cyber Crime Wing.
Some scammers use a loophole in Google Map URLs that allow them to redirect users to another website without their knowledge. “This can expose users to phishing, malware or other malicious content. To avoid this scam, do not click on any shortened Google Map URLs that you do not trust. Fraudsters may also claim that they represent Google or other companies and send fake invoices or fee to users for using or listing their business on Google Maps. The users can, hence, be tricked into paying for services that are actually free or not related to Google,” said the officer.
In a few instances, scammers also indulge in blackmail and extortion. They threaten to leave negative reviews or ratings for a business unless they are paid a certain sum, said the police officer.
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