Google Sues Chinese Individuals Over Cryptocurrency Fraud on Google Play

 

Google Sues Chinese Individuals

Over Cryptocurrency Fraud on Google Play

Tech giant Google has filed a lawsuit against two Chinese citizens accused of

developing fraudulent cryptocurrency apps on the Google Play

store and scamming over 100,000 users worldwide.

Google's General Counsel stated

"This is a unique opportunity for us to use our resources to combat bad actors

who were running an extensive cryptocurrency scam targeting some of our users."

On Thursday, the tech company

filed a lawsuit against two Chinese citizens in the Southern District of

New York  :

• alleging that they defrauded over 100,000 users globally

• through the Google Play store by creating deceptive investment

• apps related to cryptocurrencies.

The lawsuit :

alleges that Yunfeng Sun and Hongnam Zhuang

along with their partners :

• designed the apps to appear legitimate, showing users balances

• and supposed returns, but ultimately, users were unable to

• withdraw their investments or alleged profits.

In a statement to CNBC

Halimah DeLaine Prado, Google's General Counsel

said :

"This is a unique opportunity for us to use our resources to combat bad actors

who were running an extensive cryptocurrency scam targeting some of our users."

It's claimed that :

Sun and Zhuang lured victims into downloading their apps using various

methods :

• such as sending text messages using Google Voice to

• target victims in the U.S. and Canada, posting promotional

• videos on YouTube and other social media platforms

and running affiliate marketing campaigns that

paid commissions for signing up individuals.

According to court documents

• the text messages claimed to be from wrong numbers, but the senders

• would engage victims in conversations, developing 'friendships'

• and 'emotional ties' with them.

In the complaint :

Google explained that when they shut down the apps, the scammers created

new apps and uploaded them to Google Play using "varying computer

network architectures and accounts to obfuscate their identities

and misrepresented Google in the process."

The tech giant :

is seeking compensation exceeding $75,000

and a permanent injunction against the defendants and their partners

which would prevent them from creating Google accounts or accessing

any Google services in the future