Tech support scammers target unsuspecting eBay users in the United States through deceptive Google Ads. A concerning trend is the rise in fraudulent ‘Sponsored’ results in Google searches for eBay customers’ contact details, driving users toward scams rather than legitimate support.
These misleading ads appear prominently in search results, crafted with the appearance of legitimacy that can easily deceive inattentive users. Those who clicked on these ads were redirected to bogus websites, where they were encouraged to call a ‘customer support’ number — only to be funnelled directly into the scammers’ trap.
Cyber security researchers identified a surge of fraudulent ads through Google’s ad network. A search for keywords like ‘eBay customer service’ or ‘eBay phone number’ displayed several ads from at least four distinct advertising accounts.
Some ads even used eBay’s official branding, logo, and web address, making them appear entirely authentic. Under Google’s advertising rules, only eBay or verified affiliates are typically permitted to use such branding. However, scammers have found a loophole, leveraging the technicality of using subdomains associated with eBay’s developer program, such as developer.ebay.com, to gain visibility on Google.
“The first ad shown in the screenshot above is the most deceiving of all since it uses eBay’s brand name, logo and website. While Google has strict rules about who may be allowed to do this (i.e. the owner, affiliates), scammers are able to still “comply” with the rule and yet be total crooks,” researchers note.
By manipulating the final URL displayed in these ads to resemble eBay’s, scammers managed to sidestep Google’s ad policies. However, upon clicking, users are taken to a different, illegitimate URL, sometimes leading to a fake search portal showing fabricated customer service phone numbers.
Researchers also discovered that the phone numbers provided in these fake pages connect victims to scam call centres, often overseas, where scammers posing as support agents encourage callers to grant remote access to their devices.
From there, the scammers attempt to steal money through various methods, including unauthorised access to online banking or gift card scams. This scheme is part of a larger wave of tech support scams, a costly issue for U.S. customers that frequently targets individuals seeking help with popular online services.
Experts have urged users to be wary of customer service numbers obtained from ads or unsolicited emails and instead visit official brand websites to find reliable contact information.
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