Google Sues Developers Over Fake Crypto Investment Apps

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More than 100,000 people were lured by YouTube videos, affiliate marketing campaigns and romance scam messages into an international cryptocurrency scam, Google has claimed. complaint It was filed Thursday in New York District Court.

Google has filed a lawsuit against two developers for creating 87 fraudulent crypto apps on the Google Play Store over a period of at least five years.

Google accused the developers of targeting thousands of victim “investors” who had not actually invested in cryptocurrencies at all, and instead putting money directly into the developers’ pockets.

The victims each suffered losses ranging from $100 to tens of thousands of dollars, according to the complaint.

^{Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images}

According to the complaint, the developers used several tactics to get victims to download the app. One method involved sending text messages to potential victims that appeared to be sent to the wrong number.

Victims will receive text messages like, “I miss you all the time, how are your parents Mike?” And if the victim responds, even if it’s a “wrong number,” the developer or his or her agents may use a friendly link to get the victim to download one of their crypto apps and deposit money. or try to form a romantic relationship.

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The problem begins when the victim tries to withdraw funds. The platform won’t allow them to access their money, and the “friends” who told them about the app will no longer respond to messages.

If the customer service line does not work, or even if it does, company representatives may ask for additional withdrawal fees of 10% to 30%, stating that these charges are necessary for fees and taxes. did.

Even if victims pay the additional fees, they still won’t receive the funds they originally deposited, according to the complaint.

Google cited TionRT, Starlight, and SkypeWallet as examples of fraudulent apps in its complaint. The company is asking the court to award an unspecified amount of damages and to block the defendants’ access to Google services.

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App developers and their representatives have also created YouTube videos aimed at legitimizing their crypto apps, even paying actors to pose as the “leadership team” behind the apps. .

It also launched an affiliate marketing campaign, promising users that they could earn commissions by signing up other users to the app, and published a public press release.

When Google removed apps created by developers from its app store in response to customer complaints, it claimed the developers lied about their identities and started over.

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“In order to upload unauthorized apps to Google Play, the defendants made multiple false statements to Google, including their identity, location, and the type of applications being uploaded,” Google’s complaint states. including, but not limited to, false statements regarding the nature of