Google is facing legal action after taking three months to remove a scam app that defrauded users of over $5 million in cryptocurrency. The lawsuit was filed by Florida resident Maria Vaca, who claims she was misled into downloading the fraudulent app, Yobit Pro, from the Google Play Store.
According to the lawsuit, Vaca began investing in cryptocurrency through Yobit Pro between February and July 2023, believing her investments were growing. At one point, the app displayed a balance of around $7 million. When she attempted to withdraw her funds, she was told to pay $500,000 in “taxes,” which she complied with. However, when the app demanded an additional $2 million, Vaca realized something was wrong.
After refusing to make the additional payment, Vaca reportedly received threatening messages from the unidentified scammers via WhatsApp, warning her that she would be harmed if she did not deposit more funds. She then contacted law enforcement and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which forwarded the complaint to Google. Despite this, the app remained available on the Google Play Store for three months before it was finally removed.
Vaca is now suing Google in California, seeking at least $5 million in damages to cover her financial losses. The lawsuit alleges that Vaca was deceived into trusting the app because she believed Google had effective measures in place to prevent scam apps from appearing on the Google Play Store. The suit claims that Vaca has suffered severe financial losses, emotional distress, and the collapse of her real estate business as a result.
The lawsuit further alleges that Vaca was not the only victim of Yobit Pro, citing that over 12,759 Android users had installed the app, with at least five others experiencing similar scams.
Google’s Ongoing Battle Against Scam Apps
This case sheds light on the persistent problem of fraudulent cryptocurrency apps infiltrating the Google Play Store. In April 2023, Google sued two developers accused of launching 87 fraudulent apps on the platform, which affected 100,000 people, including 8,700 U.S. residents.
Although Yobit Pro was not specifically mentioned in Google’s lawsuit, the tactics used in the scam closely resemble those described in the case. Google’s legal filing details how scammers convince victims to make additional payments to unlock their funds, only for the money to disappear as soon as it is sent.
Google has acknowledged the reputational damage caused by these scams, stating in its lawsuit that the integrity of the Google Play Store is at risk if users lose trust in the platform’s ability to protect them from malicious apps. “By using Google Play to conduct their Fraud Scheme, Defendants have threatened the integrity of Google Play and the user experience,” the lawsuit reads.
As the case unfolds, it highlights the growing need for tech giants like Google to improve their defenses against scams in an increasingly digital and decentralized world.
