Protect Yourself from Fraudulent Crypto Apps: Google’s Legal Battle
Google has recently taken legal action against two developers accused of introducing 87 fraudulent crypto apps into its Google Play store. The search engine giant sued Yunfeng Sun and Hongnam Cheung for their involvement in scam apps that impacted over 100,000 individuals, including 8,700 in the USA.
- The developers lured victims by offering investments in cryptocurrencies through the apps.
- When users attempted to withdraw their funds, the apps demanded hefty fees.
- The additional charges varied from 10% to 30% for each withdrawal, draining users’ money.
Google’s Fight Against Fraudulent Crypto Apps
According to Google’s filing in the Southern District of New York, the defendants and their collaborators developed deceptive apps to mislead users into thinking they were managing balances and earning returns on investments. However, the apps were mere conduits to siphon off users’ funds before the scammers disappeared.
Google alleges that the two developers utilized its platform to make their scam apps appear genuine, deceiving thousands of victims.
Despite Google’s efforts to remove fraudulent apps from its store once identified, the developers evaded detection by concealing their identities and network infrastructure, allowing them to continually introduce new malicious apps.
- Google accuses the developers of violating the RICO law, engaging in online fraud, and breaching Google’s platform policies.
The “Pig Butchering” Scam Technique
Google claims that the two developers employed a devious tactic known as “pig butchering” in their fraudulent activities. This technique falls under the category of romantic fraud, where scammers establish friendly or romantic relationships with victims to coax them into investing in fraudulent schemes. Victims are emotionally manipulated before being financially exploited.
- The US DOJ uncovered similar romantic scams in the crypto space, where scammers used carefully crafted websites to deceive investors.
- These websites served as legitimate fronts to attract unsuspecting victims and trick them into sending cryptocurrencies that were then stolen by the scammers.
- Through collaboration with Tether, the US DOJ seized approximately $9 million in crypto linked to these fraudulent activities.
Hot Take: Stay Vigilant Against Crypto Scams
As a prudent investor in the crypto space, it is crucial to remain vigilant against potential scams and fraudulent activities. With the rise of deceptive apps and romantic fraud schemes targeting unsuspecting individuals, it is essential to exercise caution and due diligence when engaging in cryptocurrency investments.
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