Fake advertising on Google Fraudsters are now cashing in with fake tickets

Cyber criminals have recently been using Google Ads to direct customers to fake websites that sell tickets for popular excursion destinations, for example. The order is paid for but never sent.

Internet fraudsters use a lot of criminal energy to get their hands on money. Now they have discovered admission tickets for popular excursion destinations as a lucrative source of income. The latest scam: paid search ads to spread fake offers.

A concrete example: Anyone searching Google for terms relating to the "Lindt Home of Chocolate" chocolate experience will see several paid entries at the top of the results list - so-called Google Ads. So far, so normal. But beware: there is a risk that such ads do not lead to the official offer, but to a fake website.

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The perfidious thing about this scam. The fake page looks deceptively similar to the real website. Professional design in the style of the original and functioning subpages convey a credible image.

What you can do if you have fallen into the trap

However, when purchasing tickets, customers are redirected to another page where the payment process is handled - to the benefit of the fraudsters. The tickets ordered are never sent. In some cases, attempts are even made to debit higher amounts than stated.

To protect yourself from this scam, you should check what is displayed as a result in the Google search. If you are not sure whether it is a trustworthy website, it is better not to disclose sensitive data.

If this has already happened, it is best to inform your credit card company immediately and have the access data involved and your credit card blocked. And finally: file a complaint with your local cantonal police office.