Scammers have exploited Google's advertiser vetting process and obtained 'verified status' to target the public with convincing fake ads.
One rogue advertiser, with the name 'Vodafone Finance Management', had been verified by Google. But in reality, it had no affiliation with Vodafone. These verified ads were used to appear at the top of search results when people searched for the phone network Lyca Mobile.
It can be difficult to distinguish authentic ads from fake ones, especially now there’s evidence of scammers abusing Google’s platform as verified advertisers. We have some examples to help you spot and dodge fraudulent ads.
Rogue ads
Source: Which? (7 Feb 2024)