You need to contact your bank, call an airline, or get tech support. You do what millions of us do every day: you pull out your phone and Google it. A phone number appears right at the top of the search results, maybe even in a convenient, official-looking box. You tap to call, confident you’re reaching the right place. But what if you’re not?
A new, sophisticated scam is on the rise, and it targets the one place we trust to find information: the search engine results page. Scammers have found a way to poison search results, embedding their own fraudulent phone numbers onto pages that appear to belong to legitimate companies. Here’s how the scam works and what you can do to protect yourself.
How Scammers Hijack Search Results
This isn’t your typical phishing website scam. Instead of creating a fake site from scratch, criminals are exploiting the internal search functions of legitimate, trusted websites.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Crafting the Malicious URL: A scammer creates a specific URL that links to a real company’s website. However, the URL includes a search query that contains their fake phone number. For example, it might look something like:
www.reputable-airline.com/search?query=customer+service+1-800-SCAM-NOW. - Getting It Indexed: They then use various techniques to get search engines like Google to crawl and index this specific, malicious URL.
- The Trap is Set: When the search engine processes this link, it can mistakenly associate the scammer’s phone number with the official company. The next time a user searches for “Reputable Airline customer service,” the search engine might pull that fake number and display it prominently, believing it’s helpful information from a trusted source.
Because the domain name itself is legitimate, it passes a quick glance test. The user has no reason to suspect the phone number displayed is a plant, leading them directly into the scammer’s trap.
What Happens When You Call the Fake Number?
Once you call the fraudulent number, the scam begins. The person on the other end will impersonate a representative from the company you were trying to reach. Their goals are almost always malicious:
- Information Phishing: They will try to trick you into revealing personal information like your account number, password, social security number, or credit card details.
- Financial Theft: They might claim you have an outstanding bill or a problem with your account, pressuring you into making an immediate payment.
- Malware Installation: In tech support scams, they may insist your computer is infected with a virus and convince you to grant them remote access, allowing them to install malware or ransomware.
How to Protect Yourself: 4 Essential Tips
Staying safe requires a shift in how we source contact information. Blindly trusting the first number you see on Google is no longer a safe bet.
1. Go Directly to the Source
Instead of searching for a phone number, type the company’s official web address (e.g., yourbank.com, apple.com) directly into your browser’s address bar. Navigate their official website to find their “Contact Us” page. This is the single most effective way to ensure you have the correct number.
2. Use Official Apps
If the company has an official app on your smartphone, use it. Contact information found within a verified, official app is almost always legitimate and secure.
3. Scrutinize the Search Result URL
If you must use a search engine, look carefully at the URL in the search result before clicking. If it looks unusually long or contains search queries, special characters, or the term “/search?q=”, be extremely cautious. Stick to the primary homepage links.
4. Trust Your Physical Documents
Look for the customer service number on the back of your credit/debit card, on a printed bill, or on product packaging. This information is static and can’t be manipulated by online scammers.
In today’s digital world, vigilance is key. By being aware of this new tactic and taking a moment to verify information through official channels, you can ensure you’re connecting with a real company, not a criminal waiting to take advantage.