As the source wrote, “fans of Google reviews” who pay attention to reviews left by customers are out of luck. The scammers emailed the same threat to multiple restaurants, offering to remove their bad rating as a star in exchange for a reward.

cyber blackmail

As the publication puts it, this type of cybercrime is nearly impossible to prevent, as gift card payments are “incredibly difficult to trace.” Owners who care about the reputation of their business in Google services should either bow to the scammers’ requests or try to keep customers informed.

You just look vulnerable. It seems like we’re just sitting
– Quoting Julianne Young, general manager of Sons & Daughters restaurant in San Francisco, NYT.

Some organizations seek help from Google – possibly to cancel the unfair rating. However, not everything is so simple here either. A manager at EL Ideas in Chicago says the company has “lost its mind” to its “feedback cannot be erased” attitude.

There’s no other option

In letters allegedly sent from India, the scammers write: “We sincerely apologize for our actions and do not want to harm your business. But we have no choice.” then they ask A $75 Google Play Gift Card. What to do after that is unclear. Maybe they hope to sell it and get real money for it. This amount can equal one week’s income in India, as the publication notes.

If these emails are indeed sent by Indians, it turns out why the scammers claim they have no choice. The situation in the labor market in this country today is very difficult, especially in rural areas.