Fake Network of Tens of Thousands of Businesses on Google Maps

Google sues a man believed to be behind a massive Google Maps scam. Photo: The Verge .

According to CBS News , Google is removing 10,000 fake business listings from Google Maps and suing a network of scammers who created them.

Specifically, the search giant's lawsuit accuses a man of being connected to a fraud network that created fake business profiles on Google Maps and sold them for profit.

CBS News reports that Google received information from a locksmith in Texas about being "impersonated" on Google Maps.

“Fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated. Once we are notified of this type of fraud, we work to identify similar cases,” said Google counsel Halimah DeLaine Prado.

According to The Verge , scammers can use Google Maps to trick users in a number of ways. Victims may stumble upon a fake listing that looks real and call the number. The scammer offers the service when the victim shows up, but will charge a higher fee.

Meanwhile, another case was recorded where the victim was transferred to another call. The scammers would try to convince them to pay in advance for a service but in reality did not provide that service.

The criminal network also used software to generate “fake” positive reviews. A Reddit user discovered that the scammers could boost likes on fake questions and answers using illegitimate accounts.

The purpose of this is to bring that Q&A section to the top of search results to create trust with users.