Beware! Crooks Are Abusing A Google Maps Loophole To Carry Out A Dangerous New Bank Scam

Getting any bank work done can be trying, especially if you're trying to complete it over the phone without going in to your nearest branch.

Scammers have been using this fact, coupled with a loophole in Google Maps, to dupe people out of their hard-earned money.

The Maharashtra Cyber Police say scammers have been using Google's navigation app to impersonate people's banks. That might sound ludicrous to you, but it's actually fairly simple for them to pull off.

You see, Google Maps allows people to input their own content into the system. That way people with small offices or restaurants can mark themselves on the app, complete with name, contact, details, and photos. Unfortunately, there's no active verification in place, meaning false information usually only comes to Google's attention when flagged by users.

According to local police, scammers in Thane have been abusing this feature to mark themselves on Google Maps as bank branches. They simply find the location of the branch of an established bank, and edit the entry to input their own phone number as the point of contact.

"We have received at least three complaints from the Bank of India (BoI) over the last one month. Superintendent of Police Balsing Rajput of the State cyber police told The Hindu. "In all three instances, we immediately notified the authorities at Google." In fact, they believe scammers have been doing this for at least a full month now.

So why would that matter? Well, a lot of people have gotten used to Google's helpful listings, using it to find nearby restaurants, government offices, and more. So when they find the modified listing, they call the number. The scammer then, under the guise of verifying the customer's identity, manages to extract their bank details, card numbers, and perhaps even PIN and CVV numbers.

According to Rajput, a number of people so far have fallen prey to this simple scam, allowing the perpetrators to make off with their money unhindered. Of course, it's not exactly Google's fault in this case. You can't open up a crowdsourced feature allowing people to keep their contacts up to date and also police it rigidly. But there are a few simple things you can keep in mind to make sure you're not hoodwinked by ice like this scam.

How to stay safe and vigilant about bank fraud?

For one, don't look for official numbers on Google Maps, whether you're hunting for your bank's contact number, or that of a government service like the passport office. Go to your bank's official website and it should have either a national or state-wise helpline listed. Secondly, a bank will never ever ask you for your PIN or CVV for any reason whatsoever.

If they need to identify you, they'll ask for the registered mobile number, or listed birth date or some other detail filled in when you opened the account -- depending on each bank's privacy policy. Take care, and stay vigilant.