Scammers were caught trying to put fake numbers on contributed photos in Google Maps
Google Maps relies on content contributed by consumers
Google fought back by employing a machine learning tool that can analyze visual details to help recognize when a contributed photo contains a fake phone number overlaid on top. Using the machine learning tool, Google “blocked the vast majority of these fraudulent and policy-violating images before they were published.”
Last year Google blocked and removed 115 million reviews that violated company policies
Last year, Google blocked or removed more than 115 million reviews that violated company policies. Thanks to its updated models, that was a 20% increase compared to the number it took down in 2021. Also blocked and removed were 200 million photos and 7 million videos because they were low-quality, blurry, or violated Google’s content policies.
In 2021, scammers tried to post 12 million fake Business Profiles which Google was able to block. The number of fake Business Profiles that Google blocked last year rose to 20 million. Google also spotted suspicious activity surrounding more than 185,000 businesses which led it to put more protections in place.
The Google Maps app, as Google pointed out, is counted on by mobile device users to help take them safely from point “A” to point “B.” It also tells you where to eat, sleep, shop, and catch entertainment when users do get to “B.”
