Archive · 14 Nov 2025
Google Warns of AI-Powered Scams Ahead of Black Friday
Imagine a very smart computer helper called Google.
Google is telling everyone to be careful online, especially with holiday shopping coming up!
Some bad guys are using super smart computer programs, like AI, to trick people.
They make fake apps that look like safe VPNs to steal your information or put bad software on your device.
Others pretend to be good job recruiters to get your personal documents or money.
Some scammers even try to trick businesses by leaving fake bad reviews and then asking for money to stop.
They also pretend to be new AI tools to get you to download bad apps or give away your passwords.
Even people who have already been scammed are being targeted again by fake helpers who promise to get their money back.
Google is working hard to stop these tricks with its own smart computer programs and by telling users how to stay safe, like using Google Play Protect and being careful about what you click on.
Google warns of a surge in AI-powered online scams, particularly ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Malicious VPN apps are a growing threat, disguised as legitimate services to deliver malware and steal user credentials.
Scammers are also impersonating job recruiters, creating fake reviews for extortion, and mimicking AI products.
Fraudsters are targeting previous scam victims with recovery scams that demand upfront fees.
Google is enhancing its protective measures, including AI-driven detection and user-facing tools like Google Play Protect.
- Who
- What
- Issued a warning about a surge in AI-powered online scams targeting consumers, including fake VPN apps, job scams, and impersonation schemes.
- When
- Published on November 6, with expectations of an increase in holiday shopping scams as Black Friday and Cyber Monday approach.
- Where
- Globally, impacting users of Google services and online platforms.
- Why
- Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI and deceptive software to perpetrate various online fraud schemes, leading to malware delivery, data theft, and financial extortion.
- Report Date
- November 6
- Primary Threats Highlighted
- Fake VPN apps, job scams, review-bombing, AI product impersonation, fraud recovery scams, holiday shopping scams
- Key Technologies Used by Scammers
- Artificial intelligence (AI), machine-learning
- Google's Protective Measures
- Google Play Protect, machine-learning detection, Gmail phishing detection, Messages Scam Detection, 2-Step Verification, Google Maps reporting, Safe Browsing, Phone app warnings, Enhanced Protection in Chrome (Pixel 9)
- Affected Platforms
- Android, Google Play, Chrome Web Store, Google Maps, Gmail, Messages, Phone app