New Google Chrome Scam Sees Clever Way of Exploiting Accounts

Google Chrome users are now being warned against a new scam. The scam involves a genuine-looking fake notification window showing several instructions that, if followed, can make the user's devices vulnerable to hackers.

The same cunning threat has also been aimed at online OneDrive and Microsoft Word users. It appears as a fictitious message that purports to be a mistake. The suspicious popup instructs users to click a button that seems to resolve an issue. However, doing as instructed will result in someone monitoring their computer.

Google Chrome Introduces 'Listen to This Page' Feature With Customizable Playback Controls — Google Chrome has introduced a groundbreaking feature for Android users: the ability to have webpages read aloud directly within the app itself.
(Photo : KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

Proofpoint, who discovered the ruse, warned that social engineering is devious enough to present someone with what appears to be a real problem and a solution simultaneously, which may lead a user to act without considering the risk. This is even though the entire attack process requires significant user input to succeed.

Additionally, it can start fraudulent cryptocurrency transactions secretly. Any website requesting users to copy and paste an instruction into the Windows PowerShell or what appears to be an error message should raise red flags immediately.

AI-Generated Scams

Users are urged to remain vigilant against fraudulent schemes as they proliferate on the internet. Recently, Google Search and other search engines have also been the subject of warnings when they were found to be a refuge for AI scammers.

The latest alert is a result of hackers buying advertisements to place their phony websites, which are deceitfully passed off as authentic websites, at the top of search results.

Upon closer examination, these advertisements can, however, lead visitors to malicious websites that imitate PayPal's login screen to steal their money and personal data.

Sophisticated Online Scams

Scammers of today use extremely clever strategies that go beyond basic typos. Even the most watchful users can be tricked by them using subtle techniques like manipulating letters to mimic other characters.

The misleading nature of these links was brought to light by a recent example concerning "Quick Tech Support," which showed how top "sponsored" results sometimes fail to link to the official website.

Many have described recent events as a game of cat and mouse. New fake ads quickly replace those found and removed, so the fight between cybersecurity efforts and hackers is never-ending.

Scammers frequently purchase advertisements from search results, but they can also originate from malware on a user's device or a hacked browser extension. Using antivirus software facilitates the detection and removal of such threats.

If you type "Lowes" into a search engine, the top result may seem to be the official website. This is a common example. But this can result in a fake website disguising itself as the real deal. Users may have already compromised their sensitive information by the time they become aware of the hoax.