Google Sues Over Alleged Work-at-Home Scams
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Google filed a lawsuit Monday to try and stop companies from allegedly using the company's name and logo to promote fraudulent work-at-home money-making schemes.
"Thousands of people have been tricked into sending payment information and being charged hidden fees by questionable operations," Google said in a blog post today.
Along with several other unnamed companies, the search engine giant sued software development firm Pacific Web Works in a Utah District Court. The lawsuit cites trademark infringement and dilution, unfair competition, federal cyberpiracy and violation of consumer sales practices.
Google says it hasn't endorsed any of the fraudulent sites that use tag lines like "UseGoogle to Make 1000s of Dollars!" or "Easy Cash with Google: You Couldbe Making up to $978 a Day Working from Home!"
"This action seeks to stop a widespread Internet advertising scam thatis defrauding the public by misusing the famous Google brand," the suitsays. "The scam victimizes unsuspecting consumers by prominentlydisplaying the famous Google mark, by suggesting sponsorship by theplaintiff Google Inc., and by urging consumers to obtain a kitsupposedly showing them how to make money working from home withGoogle."
People should be skeptical and review any offers online before sendingany information, Google cautions, and always be on guard when presentedwith an offer that seems too good to be true.
Google makes is clear that many companies do legitimately make moneyplacing ads on websites with Google AdSense or participating inprograms like the Google Affiliate Network.
"In our experience, the best way to build a business on the web is toreally serve users--offer useful products and services or write aboutsomething you have a passionate interest in," says Jason Morrison, asearch quality controller at Google.
Names to be wary of: Google Adwork, Google ATM, Google Biz Kit, GoogleCash, Earn Google Cash Kit, Google Fortune, Google Marketing Kit,Google Profits, The Home Business Kit for Google, Google StartUp Kit,and Google Works.
Have you come across any of these work-at-home schemes that appear tobe branded by Google? How do you identify a too-good-to-be-true scamonline? What should people look out for?
Check out Google's tips to steer clear of online money scams.
