Google Maps becomes the latest app to be targeted by criminals with a sneaky scam to steal confidential data and empty bank accounts

  • Contact information for businesses and banks are available on Google Maps
  • It can easily be viewed and edited by any member of the public 
  • Scammers are replacing legitimate details with their own information 
  • They use this to coerce people into giving them confidential information 
  • Once they posses secure data they can access and empty bank accounts

Google Maps is being stealthily manipulated by scammers to deceive and con customers.  

The site allows users to see certain information about a place or business and fraudsters are editing and deleting this before replacing it with their own details.

After a scammer inputs the fake credentials an unsuspecting customer will see the false information when searching for a specific place, like a bank. 

Should a customer call the number they may believe they are through to a legitimate source but would instead be in direct contact with a would-be criminal.

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 Few details are known about when or if these features will roll out to the broader public, however. Google has yet to confirm whether or not the test will lead to a wider rollout

Google Maps allows users to see certain information about a place or business and fraudsters are editing and deleting this before replacing it with their own details in a bid to deceive people (stock)

A small information box appears on Maps when selecting for a certain place and this is open to editing by anyone.  

It has been reported that more and more people are now targeting people in this way. 

The added comfort a customer has when calling a number themselves puts them at greater risk of willingly giving up their credentials and exposing personal and sensitive data.  

Speaking to The Sun, Adam Brown, manager of security solutions at Synopsys, said: 'It's possible for any user to suggest edits to any place on Google Maps. 

There are however, several safeguard and procedures in place to prevent this from happening.   

Someone trying to update a Maps page will have the inputted information subjected to scrutiny from Google. 

'So for perpetrators to successfully update a phone number of a bank for example, they may have to rely on Google's local guides to OK the update,' Mr Brown added.

Someone trying to update a Maps page will have the inputted information subjected to scrutiny from Google. Google claims there are several safeguards in place to prevent the information being easily changed (stock) 

Someone trying to update a Maps page will have the inputted information subjected to scrutiny from Google. Google claims there are several safeguards in place to prevent the information being easily changed (stock) 

'However it's very easy to become a local guide – anyone can do it, so perpetrators could easily organise local resources they control to do this.'

A Google spokesperson told The Sun: 'As soon as we were notified about the issue, the team worked quickly to address it.

'We have clear policies in place to ensure the quality of business profiles on Google. We take violations of these policies seriously and work fast to take appropriate action.

'We use manual and automated systems to detect for spam and fraud, but we tend not to share details behind our processes so as not to tip off spammers or others with bad intent.' 

HOW CAN YOU FIND AND DELETE WHERE GOOGLE KNOWS YOU'VE BEEN?

Even if you have 'Location History' off, Google often stores your precise location. 

Here's how to delete those markers and some best-effort practices that keep your location as private as possible.

But there's no panacea, because simply connecting to the internet on any device flags an IP address that can be geographically mapped.

Smartphones also connect to cell towers, so your carrier knows your general location at all times.

To disable tracking on any device

Fire up your browser and go to myactivity.google.com. You'll need to be logged into Google.

On the upper left drop-down menu, go to 'Activity Controls.' Turn off both 'Web & App Activity' and 'Location History.' 

That should prevent precise location markers from being stored to your Google account.

Google will warn you that some of its services won't work as well with these settings off. 

In particular, neither the Google Assistant, a digital concierge, nor the Google Home smart speaker will be particularly useful.

On iOS

If you use Google Maps, adjust your location setting to 'While Using' the app. This will prevent the app from accessing your location when it's not active. 

Go to Settings Privacy Location Services and from there select Google Maps to make the adjustment.

In the Safari web browser, consider using a search engine other than Google. 

Under Settings Safari Search Engine, you can find other options like Bing or DuckDuckGo. 

You can turn location off while browsing by going to Settings Privacy Location Services Safari Websites, and turn this to 'Never.' 

This still won't prevent advertisers from knowing your rough location based on IP address on any website.

You can also turn Location Services off to the device almost completely from Settings Privacy Location Services.

 Both Google Maps and Apple Maps will still work, but they won't know where you are on the map and won't be able to give you directions. 

Emergency responders will still be able to find you if the need arises.

On Android

Under the main settings icon click on 'Security & location.' Scroll down to the 'Privacy' heading. Tap 'Location.' You can toggle it off for the entire device.

Use 'App-level permissions' to turn off access to various apps. 

Unlike the iPhone, there is no setting for 'While Using.' 

You cannot turn off Google Play services, which supplies your location to other apps if you leave that service on.

Sign in as a 'guest' on your Android device by swiping down from top and tapping the downward-facing cursor, then again on the torso icon.

 Be aware of which services you sign in on, like Chrome. You can also change search engines even in Chrome.

To delete past location tracking on any device 

On the page myactivity.google.com, look for any entry that has a location pin icon beside the word 'details.' 

Clicking on that pops up a window that includes a link that sometimes says 'From your current location.' 

Clicking on it will open Google Maps, which will display where you were at the time.

You can delete it from this popup by clicking on the navigation icon with the three stacked dots and then 'Delete.'

Some items will be grouped in unexpected places, such as topic names, google.com, Search, or Maps. 

You have to delete them item by item. You can wholesale delete all items in date ranges or by service, but will end up taking out more than just location markers.

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