Google keeps profits from gift card scams, class action claims

Google gift card scams class action overview: 

• Who: Google is facing a class action lawsuit over Google Play Store gift cards involved in scams.
• Why: Google is accused of profiting from scams involving Google Play Store gift cards and refusing to reimburse individuals who were scammed into purchasing the gift cards.
• Where: The Google gift card scams lawsuit was filed in federal court in California.

A new class action lawsuit accuses Google of profiting from Google Play Store gift card scams and refusing to reimburse victims of those scams.

Google kept millions of dollars from those involved in Google gift card scams despite being contacted directly by those scam victims and receiving information to identify and return the stolen funds, the Google class action says.

Google deposits a percentage of the money into Google Play Developer accounts and keeps approximately 15% to 30% of the face value of the gift card as commission, the lawsuit says.

“Google plays a direct and vital role in the gift card scams by allowing gift cards which it knows were involved in fraud to be redeemed and spent on digital currency and/or digital products which scammers can resell for currency,” the Google class action says. 

Scammers demand gift cards to avoid arrest for taxes, bail, debts, lawsuit says

Lead plaintiff Judy May says she was scammed into purchasing $1,000 in Google Play gift cards and later contacted Google to inform the company what happened.

“Google informed her that there was nothing it could do and that it would not refund the monies she had paid for the Google Play gift cards,” the class action says.

May’s experience is similar to that of other scam victims, who say they received calls from criminals claiming they owe money for things like taxes, bail or debts, and that they need to pay up with gift cards and provide a Social Security number to avoid arrest, the lawsuit says.

Google also faced a 2021 class action lawsuit claiming its Google Play gift cards violate California law by being too difficult to redeem.

Have you been scammed into purchasing a Google gift card? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Hal D. Cunningham of Scott and Scott Attorneys at Law LLP.

The Google gift card class action lawsuit is May v. Google LLC, et al., Case No. 5:24-cv-01314-SVK, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

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• Tremendous class action claims company misrepresents gift cards’ value, acceptance
• Shell class action alleges gas stations charge gift card customers higher price
• Apple settles gift card scam class action