Google Ads Hijacked by Tech-Support Scammers

Netskope has uncovered a tech-support scam that used Google Ads to place fake security alerts on legitimate websites. The ads, which were designed to look like warnings from real companies, appeared on ordinary websites covering maps, weather, real estate, document hosting, and sports.

The fake alerts made browsers on Windows and Mac devices appear seized, urging users to call a number on screen. However, the browser itself was not locked; only its appearance was affected.

According to Netskope, the scam targeted 619 customer organizations, with over 250 Google Ads campaign IDs tracked across at least 284 legitimate publisher sites. Roughly 62% of these organizations were based in the United States, followed by Japan and Australia.

Netskope's protections blocked the scam content for users in its monitored group, preventing any potential scams.