Google AI Search Results Might Lead You Into A Scam: Here Is How You Can Stay Safe

Real Estate Firm Owner Shares His Ordeal

One such incident was reported by Alex Rivlin, owner of a real estate firm, who shared his experience on Facebook (as cited by Digital Trends). Rivlin searched for Royal Caribbean’s customer service number on Google and clicked on a number displayed within Google’s AI Overview.

Unfortunately, the number was fraudulent and operated by scammers. Rivlin revealed that he came close to losing money, as he had already shared his credit card details before realising something was wrong. “I’m sharing this as a public service announcement. With AI-generated results and spoofed numbers, the game has changed,” he wrote.

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While Rivlin managed to escape financial loss, his case highlights how AI-driven search results can be exploited by bad actors.

Fake Southwest Airlines Helpline Reported

A similar case was reported involving Southwest Airlines. A helpline number shown through Google’s AI Overview was not listed on the airline’s official website but was instead being used by scammers. Victims reported being charged hundreds of dollars for simple issues, such as correcting flight ticket details.

This type of fraud leverages user trust in Google’s search engine, especially when results are prominently displayed in AI-generated summaries.

More Cases Emerging Online

On Reddit, users have shared their own close encounters. One person almost got scammed while searching for a food delivery service helpline, while another case involved a 65-year-old man who lost over $3,000 after searching “Swiggy call centre” on Google.

To investigate further, Digital Trends tested the query “Swiggy customer care number” using Google’s AI Mode. The results included numbers not intended for customer support, and in some cases, numbers that didn’t exist on Swiggy’s official platform.

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Swiggy, in fact, has no official customer care helpline numbers. The company’s website explicitly warns users to beware of fake numbers and instead directs them to in-app support for assistance.

Google’s Response

Google Chimes In After The Washington Post story, Google said it’s already cleaning out the wrong and tricky entries from the AI Overviews. The team gets that there’s danger, so they’re fine-tuning everything to make sure users see safer, more on-point info.

Still, experts say it’s not a green light yet, so hold off on using AI replies for stuff like customer-support numbers. The smart move is to check companies’ official websites or apps for phone or email contacts.

Why AI Search Is Being Exploited

AI Overviews and tools like it try to speed things up by packing web info into a quick summary. The key difference is that, unlike regular search, AI gifts you one big answer and skips the row of links you could double-check. 

That makes it a soft target for scammers slipping fake details into the summary. Cyber experts say that the more AI search spreads, the more fraudsters will try to run the same play on it. Users trusting the AI could end up cut on both sides unless Google or anyone else locks things down hard.

Final Takeaway

Growing reports of cons tied to Google’s AI search show the tech is strong, but still gets fooled. It’s a reminder that even the neatest tools need extra guarding, or the profits of scammers will keep the tech from being what it should be. Until companies like Google really close these sneaky holes, stick to this game plan:

• First, always double-check customer service numbers on the real website.
• Don't dial the ones from AI summaries, pop-up ads, or random blog posts.
• Use the app’s help feature or the official emails for any sensitive stuff—like travel bookings, banking, or food delivery.

Scammers keep leveling up, so the best defense is to stay sharp and double-check stuff from sources you know you can trust.