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.
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110 thoughts onGoogle keeps profits from gift card scams, class action claims
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I was scammed more than once! One time it was on a car purchase on Facebook marketplace for $1000.00. Then they called me back and told me I needed almost $2000.00 for the delivery fee. I knew then that really something was wrong! Another time I was horassed into buying cards to pay for cryptocurrencies by another persons. They were working together.
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Microsoft had 395 phone numbers added to my account. I cannot even see the complete numbers missing 2 digits. Obviously a bot. They allowed the scammers to steal my rewards and buy xbox and Amazon gift cards. I had intercepted the $100 Amazon since they refused to cancel it.but they subsequently allowed the scammer to take it afterwards! I had requested it be cancelled before it was cashed out as well. They say they cannot refund or cancel. All to their advantage right? No wrong.
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We found the bag of various gift cards going thru my mother in law’s things. Add us to that list.
You can also add me to the Google Play lawsuit. This happened to me several times.
Not to change the subject from the Google play lawsuit is anyone looking into a similar type of lawsuit with Apple concerning their
Apple Gift Cards being scammed and people not being reimbursed either by the store it was purchased at or by Apple themselves.
If there is not a lawsuit going on someone needs to look into this.
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