Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

twitter.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 236 posts

Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

#41

Post by izacus »

sneak wrote: post #33
gumby wrote: post #14

Parasites like this have also colonized plumbing, locksmiths etc, as has been discussed on this site in the past. Seems like straight up fraud to me.

A lot of the institutions who historically would have prevented fraud seem to have abdicated their responsibilities in the last few dozen years. Doctorow calls them out in the thread: AmEx and Google in particular.

Calling out a megacorporation for not defending your rights is oxymoronic by the extreme. You didn't stop other products from killing people by asking Walmart nicely to make sure it's safe.

Isn't there a small thing called "regulators" for this? Or is US government now so fundamentally broken that it can't even provide its basic function anymore and has to be replaced by "pretty-please" appeals to megacorporations?

Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

#43

Post by mcv »

polotics wrote: post #8

In this instance isn't Google guilty of fraud? They put on their website something that defrauds, it being called "search" makes no difference IMHO. Isn't there in the US a small claims court for the restaurant to seek takedown and compensation for damages?

It certainly sounds like a blatant case of trademark infringement. The scammers are trading under the name of the legitimate restaurant in order to defraud their customers. Sounds like the most blatant case of trademark infringement I've heard of in a long time.

Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

#44

Post by sokoloff »

The billing descriptor issue doesn’t seem like a KYC violation or Amex failure to me.

Instead of using a static descriptor “Parasitic Middleman, LLC”, they send a dynamic descriptor for each transaction to tell the user “KIINTHAILA: OK, that was my Thai order; yeah, that was me”. It’s no different than when you see an order number on your statement or other dynamic text.

I don’t approve of the business practice (and take care to avoid it with my local takeout places), but I don’t think it’s an Amex failure here.

Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

#45

Post by aychedee »

izacus wrote: post #41
sneak wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of the institutions who historically would have prevented fraud seem to have abdicated their responsibilities in the last few dozen years. Doctorow calls them out in the thread: AmEx and Google in particular.

Calling out a megacorporation for not defending your rights is oxymoronic by the extreme. You didn't stop other products from killing people by asking Walmart nicely to make sure it's safe. Isn't there a small thing called "regulators" for this? Or is US government now so fundamentally broken that it can't even provide its basic function anymore and has to be replaced by "pretty-please" appeals to megacorporations?

It's broken by design. AKA regulatory capture by business. Ever since America made corruption (paying money to politicians) legal it's just been downhill. Enjoy!

Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

#46

Post by mcv »

darreninthenet wrote: post #31
polotics wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is it legal? If you mislead a customer by assuming an identity that is not yours, how is this not identity theft? (not legal) The fraudsters' website says "Kiin Thai eatery - Official Website". Anyways that is for a judge to decide.

Representing yourself as something you aren't for an advantage is literally one of the legal definitions of fraud in the UK.

Specifically trademark infringement. They're trading under someone else's name. This is exactly what trademarks are supposed to prevent.

Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

#47

Post by bell-cot »

izacus wrote: post #41
sneak wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of the institutions who historically would have prevented fraud seem to have abdicated their responsibilities in the last few dozen years. Doctorow calls them out in the thread: AmEx and Google in particular.

Calling out a megacorporation for not defending your rights is oxymoronic by the extreme. You didn't stop other products from killing people by asking Walmart nicely to make sure it's safe. Isn't there a small thing called "regulators" for this? Or is US government now so fundamentally broken that it can't even provide its basic function anymore and has to be replaced by "pretty-please" appeals to megacorporations?

> Isn't there a small thing called "regulators" for this? Or is the US...

The latter, partly.

But a bigger problem is that actually-functional government is no longer part of the worldview of most of the public. Ditto for serious consequences for the responsible elected officials, when government fails at its basic functions.

Without those things, it is really not possible to sustain a high-functioning government.

Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

#48

Post by bell-cot »

greenyoda wrote: post #28
loup-vaillant wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure the scammers are engaging in trademark infringement.

Can the restaurant ask Google to take down the ad based on trademark infringement?

Even if "yes" - it's a Whac-a-Mole dystopia.

Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

#49

Post by ezekiel68 »

> just following in the shoes of DoorDash and Uber Eats

Typical error of his, going "A Bridge Too Far". He points out something interesting and important to lure you in and then hand-gestures grandly toward an industry/practice that he feels we should all question. Because, you know, brilliant genius Cory Doctorow.

Re: Google search for a local restaurant returns scammer’s ad as top result

#50

Post by mooncakes_ooohh »

izacus wrote: post #40
antihero wrote: post #32

I’m just amazed Cory Doctorow of all people doesn’t use uBlock and got duped by this. I’ve always seen Google Ads as about as reliable as the fake download buttons on crappy file websites. You tune them out or block them.

I'm sure he personally does use it, but that doesn't stop him from highlighting these issues and talking about it. That's what he's been all about for years now.

Also it could have been a friend or family member finding it first. I use browser based adblockers on all my devices. My partner doesn't always. Luckily I have Pi-hole setup to at least block these links on my home network.
Post reply on HN