No, you don't need to pay to install Google Bard - it's a malware scam

Google Bard logo on a smartphone in front of a colorful backdrop featuring the Google logo
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Google has filed lawsuits against two separate groups of scammers in an attempt to protect its users from malware using its Bard AI chatbot as a lure, and set a legal precedent to help others combat fraudsters on the internet.

In a blog post published by the company’s General Counsel, Halimah DeLaine Prado,  Google said is going after people impersonating Bard, as well as those abusing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). 

As per the report, the first group built Bard “apps”, which were laced with malware. Bard, as Google explains it, is a “freely available generative AI tool that does not need to be downloaded.” Then, the group would run ads promoting these apps and using the malware to compromise victims’ social media accounts.


Reader Offer: $50 Amazon gift card with demo

Reader Offer: $50 Amazon gift card with demo
Perimeter 81's Malware Protection intercepts threats at the delivery stage to prevent known malware, polymorphic attacks, zero-day exploits, and more. Let your people use the web freely without risking data and network security.

Preferred partner (What does this mean?

The importance of clear rules

Since April, Google says it has filed some 300 takedowns related to this group.

“We are seeking an order to stop the scammers from setting up domains like these and allow us to have them disabled with U.S. domain registrars,” Google says. “If this is successful, it will serve as a deterrent and provide a clear mechanism for preventing similar scams in the future.”

The second group created dozens of Google accounts and used them to submit thousands of fake copyright claims against their competitors, essentially abusing the DMCA. As a result, more than 100,000 websites belonging to various businesses were taken down, which cost the victim businesses millions of dollars and thousands of hours in wasted employee time, Google said. 

“We hope our lawsuit will not only put an end to this activity, but also deter others and raise awareness of the harm that fraudulent takedowns can have on small businesses across the country.”

“Clear rules against frauds, scams, and harassment are important — no matter how novel the setting — and we're committed to doing our part to protect the people who use the internet from abuse,” the company concluded.

More from TechRadar Pro

TOPICS

Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning more than a decade, he’s written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He’s also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications.

Read more
Fraude en ligne phishing
Google Search ads are being hacked to steal account info
Fraude en ligne phishing
Google forced to step up phishing defenses following ‘most sophisticated attack’ it has ever seen
Representational image of a cybercriminal
Criminals are spreading malware disguised as DeepSeek AI
Pirate skull cyber attack digital technology flag cyber on on computer CPU in background. Darknet and cybercrime banner cyberattack and espionage concept illustration.
Mac users targeted with new malware, so be on your guard
NordVPN
US hit with over 1.9 billion malware threats last year - here's how to stay safe
Phone scammer
Microsoft thinks it could stop this dangerous scam forever
Latest in Security
China
Chinese hackers targeting Juniper Networks routers, so patch now
Google Chrome dark mode
Google updates Chrome extension rules to ban affiliate link injection without user action or benefit
Abstract image of robots working in an office environment including creating blueprint of robot arm, making a phone call, and typing on a keyboard
This worrying botnet targets unsecure TP-Link routers - thousands of devices already hacked
Avast cybersecurity
UK cybersecurity sector could be worth £13bn, research shows
An option to add Ambient Music buttons to the iOS 18.4 Control Center.
Apple fixes dangerous zero-day used in attacks against iPhones and iPads
Trump
Hackers are abusing $TRUMP tokens to lure victims in to new phishing scam
Latest in News
Lilo & Stitch Official Trailer
Stitch crashes into earth and steals our hearts with the first trailer for the live-action Lilo & Stitch
GTA 5
GTA Online publisher Take-Two is gunning for a black market that’s basically heaven for cheaters
Y2K cast looking shocked
Y2K has a streaming release date on Max, so you can witness the technology uprising at home
The Discovery+ homepage
Discovery+ just got a big update to its streaming app that makes it more like Max – here are 5 great new features to try
Two Android phones on a green and blue background showing Google Messages
Struggling with slow Google Messages photo transfers? Google says new update will make 'noticeable difference'
China
Chinese hackers targeting Juniper Networks routers, so patch now