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Online consumer watchdog, Which?, has raised an urgent alert regarding fraudulent parking apps being promoted on Google's advertising platform. These deceptive apps dupe unsuspecting users into paying for unnecessary subscriptions, resulting in significant financial losses. The warning urges drivers to exercise caution when encountering these false advertisements and provides valuable tips on how to identify and avoid falling victim to such scams.

According to Which?, these fraudulent parking app ads frequently appear at the top of search engine results, sometimes overshadowing legitimate websites. As a precautionary measure, the organization advises drivers to refrain from using search engines to find parking payment options and instead recommends downloading apps exclusively from official app stores.

Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert at Which?, expressed concern over the infiltration of fraudsters into search engine platforms, emphasizing the potential hefty costs victims may incur. She warns that unsuspecting consumers could end up losing hundreds of pounds.

Which? discovered multiple instances where scammers created ads impersonating renowned parking payment apps like PayByPhone, JustPark, and RingGo. Notably, two separate websites, onlytelephone.com and homeautomationinnovators.com, were found masquerading as PayByPhone in Google ads, a dangerously convincing scheme. These illicit sites, unlawfully using PayByPhone's logo and assets without permission, promised a "free download" but concealed fine print at the bottom of their webpages, committing unwitting users to monthly subscriptions. By accepting the supposed "free download," drivers found themselves trapped with a £24.99 ($31.40) monthly payment to an undisclosed company offering a "health and lifestyle bundle subscription."

The fraudulent ads identified by Which? highlight the concerning issue of scam advertisements persisting on Google search results despite efforts to combat them. Despite notifying Google about an advertiser impersonating RingGo on November 15, Which? claims that the deceptive ads were still present even three weeks later. The organization also emphasizes that Google has been aware of the scam website uk.apkpac since August, yet it continued to rank highly in search results as of December 5.

Under the newly enacted Online Safety Act, online platforms will be legally obligated to remove scams and harmful content. While Which? hails this act as a victory for consumer protection, it raises concerns about Google's responsiveness in removing fraudulent advertisements. The organization implores Ofcom, the regulatory body responsible for overseeeing the implementation of the Online Safety Act, to develop robust codes of practice and take strict enforcement action, including imposing fines, against tech giants that breach these regulations.

In response, a spokesperson from Google emphasized the company's commitment to user protection, stating that they enforce strict advertising policies and promptly remove ads that violate their guidelines. They further reinforced that actions have been taken against these fraudulent ads, resulting in their removal from search results.

The issue of fake parking app advertisements extends beyond Google, as Which? researchers discovered similar deceptive ads on other search engines such as Yahoo and Microsoft's Bing. These fraudulent ads were attributed to a site known as trendy-apps.com, posing as PayByPhone and attempting to deceive users into subscribing to a £24.99 ($31.40) monthly plan. Yahoo Search acknowledged its partnership with Microsoft Bing and affirmed their collaboration to block the advertiser in question.

To safeguard against falling victim to such scams, Which? recommends that drivers solely download parking apps from official Apple or Google app stores and avoid relying on search engines, as they pose a higher risk of encountering fraudulent behavior.

As the prevalence of online scams continues to escalate, it is crucial for users to remain vigilant, exercise caution, and only engage with reputable platforms and services to ensure their financial security and personal information remains protected.