![]() ![]() Next, they move the conversation to Google Chat.For example, scammers may try to get your attention or strike up conversation by sending an "accidental" Google Chat request. Some Google Chat scams originate on the platform. Fraudsters create fake online profiles to lure their victims with offers of romance, friendship, jobs, or investment opportunities. First, scammers engage with you online - via dating sites, social media, or other web pages.Here’s how a typical Google Chat scam works: But once you engage with them, they’ll quickly ask to move the conversation to Google Chat to prevent their social profiles from being reported and banned.Īn example of what Google Chat looks like on a desktop device. While Google Chat is an effective tool for businesses, it’s also popular with scammers.įraudsters often begin their scams on other platforms where it’s easier to attract victims - such as social media or dating sites. Google Chat - formerly “Google Hangouts” - is a messaging app that allows users to send files and collaborate on projects. What Is Google Chat? How Do Google Chat Scams Work? In this guide, we’ll explain how Google Chat scams work, the warning signs to look out for, and what you can do to protect yourself if you’ve communicated with or given sensitive information and money to a scammer. If someone wants to chat with you over Google Chat, you need to be careful. Google Chat is just one of the many platforms that scammers use to contact their victims - often by pretending to be celebrities, businesses, or even potential love interests.Īccording to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) : Nearly 70,000 Americans fell victim to romance scams in 2022 - with 40% taking place over Google Chat and other messaging platforms. Still, seven months later, she’d sent the “star” the equivalent of thousands of dollars to cover costs ranging from a private visit to a shared home. When someone claiming to be Johnny Depp contacted a 72-year-old woman via Google Chat, she knew there was a good chance she was talking to a fraudster. Nearly 400,000 subscribers received the newsletter complete with a handwritten tip every day.Is It Safe To Google Chat With Strangers? He gave advice on dark web scans on Miami's NBC 6, discussed Windows XP's demise on WGN-TV's Midday News in Chicago, and shared his CES experiences on WJR-AM's Guy Gordon Show in Detroit.Ĭhris also ran MakeUseOf's email newsletter for two years. In addition to his extensive writing experience, Chris has been interviewed as a technology expert on TV news and radio shows. The company's project was later reportedly shut down by the U.S. A wave of negative publicity ensued, with coverage on BuzzFeed News, CNBC, the BBC, and TechCrunch. At CES 2018, he broke the news about Kodak's "KashMiner" Bitcoin mining scheme with a viral tweet. Starting in 2015, Chris attended the Computer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas for five years running. His work has even appeared on the front page of Reddit.Īrticles he's written have been used as a source for everything from books like Team Human by Douglas Rushkoff, media theory professor at the City University of New York's Queens College and CNN contributor, to university textbooks and even late-night TV shows like Comedy Central's with Chris Hardwick. His roundups of new features in Windows 10 updates have been called "the most detailed, useful Windows version previews of anyone on the web" and covered by prominent Windows journalists like Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley on TWiT's Windows Weekly. Instructional tutorials he's written have been linked to by organizations like The New York Times, Wirecutter, Lifehacker, the BBC, CNET, Ars Technica, and John Gruber's Daring Fireball. The news he's broken has been covered by outlets like the BBC, The Verge, Slate, Gizmodo, Engadget, TechCrunch, Digital Trends, ZDNet, The Next Web, and Techmeme. Beyond the column, he wrote about everything from Windows to tech travel tips. ![]() He founded PCWorld's "World Beyond Windows" column, which covered the latest developments in open-source operating systems like Linux and Chrome OS. ![]() He also wrote the USA's most-saved article of 2021, according to Pocket.Ĭhris was a PCWorld columnist for two years. Beyond the web, his work has appeared in the print edition of The New York Times (September 9, 2019) and in PCWorld's print magazines, specifically in the August 2013 and July 2013 editions, where his story was on the cover. ![]() With over a decade of writing experience in the field of technology, Chris has written for a variety of publications including The New York Times, Reader's Digest, IDG's PCWorld, Digital Trends, and MakeUseOf. Chris has personally written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than one billion times-and that's just here at How-To Geek. Chris Hoffman is the former Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. ![]()
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