Google Search Scams: Why You Should Skip the First Result
- DH Solutions Editorial Team
- 3 hours ago
- 6 min read
When someone on your team needs to download a program or log in to a supplier's site, they search for it and click the first result. That first result is often a paid ad, and attackers buy them too. Google search scams - also called malvertising - are now one of the easiest ways for attackers to reach your staff. They use the real company's name, the real logo, and a web address that is close enough to pass. The page then either takes the login you type in or hands you a download with malware inside. Most people never notice anything wrong. One simple habit avoids most of it.
Google Search Scams: Why Michigan Businesses Should Skip the First Result
Google search scams work because the top of a search page feels safe. The sponsored ad sits above everything else, marked with a small "Sponsored" label, and most people assume it is the official result. Scammers know this. They buy ads on the names of trusted companies and popular software, so their fake site appears right at the top, above the real one, and your team clicks it thinking it is the official page. For businesses in Michigan, where manufacturing, healthcare, and professional services depend on staff downloading tools and accessing supplier portals daily, this is not a fringe threat. It is a practical risk that shows up in ordinary searches.
🔑 Key Takeaways
Attackers buy sponsored ads on Google using real brand names and logos, so fake sites appear above the real ones.
Google's 2025 Ads Safety Report shows it blocked 8.3 billion ads and 602 million scam ads, but some still slip through.
Malvertising has targeted popular software like VLC, 7-Zip, and CCleaner, distributing password-stealing malware.
The safest habit is to skip sponsored results, type the official URL directly, and bookmark the sites your team uses most.
How the Scam Works
The trick is called malvertising, short for malicious advertising. A scammer buys a search ad for a term people trust, like the name of your bank, a Microsoft login, or a common program such as a PDF reader or a video player. The ad looks normal, with the real brand name and a web address that looks right.
When someone clicks it, they land on a page built to look exactly like the real one. Sometimes that page asks you to log in and hands your username and password straight to the scammer. Other times it offers the software you were after, and the download installs malware instead of the real program.
Security researchers have documented malvertising campaigns pushing fake downloads for VLC, 7-Zip, and CCleaner, distributing malware that steals passwords and session tokens from browsers. One attack used a fake Google Chrome download page that looked visually identical to the real Google site, but the file was actually the Vidar info-stealing malware (https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/02/malvertising). The fake page was so convincing that most users would not notice the difference until their accounts were already compromised.
Why These Ads Are So Easy to Fall For
These ads are convincing. They sit above the real result, so they are the first thing you see. They use the real company's name and a web address that looks right. And they show up on a search you started yourself, so they do not feel as suspicious as a random email or text would.
Attackers have also gotten good at hiding from the checks meant to stop them. They show a clean, harmless page to the ad reviewers and the real, malicious page to everyone else, so the ad can pass review and still do damage. Some researchers call this "cloaking" - the ad platform sees a legitimate site, while your employee sees the fake one.
Google's 2025 Ads Safety Report says it blocked or removed more than 8.3 billion ads that broke its rules, suspended 24.9 million advertiser accounts, and took down 602 million ads tied to scams. Google also noted that criminals are now using AI to make fake ads faster. More than 99% were stopped before anyone saw them, but with billions of ads, the fraction that slips through still represents millions of dangerous clicks.
How Common Is This?
Very. Google has seen a sustained increase in malicious actors using AI to generate scam ads at scale, targeting popular software downloads, financial services, and utility brands. The FBI and cybersecurity firms have repeatedly warned that malvertising is one of the fastest-growing attack vectors for small businesses, because it does not require a phishing email, a compromised password, or any technical sophistication on the victim's end. It only requires someone doing a normal search and clicking the top result.
What This Means for Your Business
For a business, the risk comes up in two everyday situations: downloading software, and logging in.
When someone downloads software, they search for a tool, click the top ad, and install something that steals the passwords and logins saved in their browser.
When someone logs in, they search for "Microsoft 365 login" or their bank, click the ad rather than the official link, and type their username and password straight into a fake page.
In both cases, the problem is info-stealing malware. Once it is on a machine, it can steal saved passwords, browser cookies, and session tokens, which can get an attacker into accounts even when multi-factor authentication is switched on. That is why preventing the click matters more than counting on MFA to save you after the fact.
How to Protect Your Team
Scroll past the sponsored results. The ads sit at the top, marked "Sponsored" or "Ad." The real website is usually just below, in the normal results. Make this a rule for your team: if you see "Sponsored," keep scrolling.
Do not download software from an ad. Type the maker's web address yourself, or search and use the normal result, then download from the official site. Better yet, go to the software vendor's site directly without searching at all.
Bookmark the sites you log into. For your bank, Microsoft 365, and other important accounts, use a saved bookmark instead of searching each time. Bookmarks bypass the search page entirely.
Keep devices and browsers updated. Turn on automatic updates so a bad download is less likely to work if someone does make a mistake.
Tell your team this is a thing. Most people have no idea the top result can be a trap, and once they know, they stop clicking it. A five-minute conversation at a staff meeting beats a poster nobody reads.
Use a reputable ad blocker. A good ad blocker hides many sponsored results, which takes the fake links off the page before anyone can click them. It is not a complete fix, so keep the habits above too.
Consider DNS filtering. Business-grade DNS services like Quad9 or Cloudflare for Teams can block known malicious domains at the network level, stopping the connection even if someone clicks a bad ad.
Frequently Answered Questions (FAQs)
Aren't ads at the top of Google checked and safe?
Google reviews ads and removes billions that break its rules, but scammers still slip through by showing reviewers a clean page and everyone else the malicious one. A "Sponsored" label does not mean the site is safe. In 2025 alone, Google removed 602 million ads tied to scams, which means millions more were attempted.
What is malvertising?
Malvertising is short for malicious advertising: scammers buy online ads, often on trusted brand names, to send people to fake sites that steal logins or install malware. It is a growing threat because it does not require a phishing email or a compromised password - just a normal search and a click on the top result.
How do I download software safely?
Go to the maker's official website by typing the address yourself, or search and use the normal (non-ad) result. Do not download from a sponsored ad, and do not trust a download that arrives through one. Better yet, bookmark the vendor's download page.
What should I do if someone clicked a scam ad?
If they only visited the page, close it and do not enter anything. If they typed a password, change it and turn on MFA. If they downloaded and ran a file, disconnect the device and have your IT provider check it for info-stealing malware. Do not wait for symptoms to appear.
Does an ad blocker help?
Yes. A reputable ad blocker hides many sponsored results, which takes the fake links off the page before anyone can click them. It is not a complete fix, so combine it with the habits above: skip sponsored results, bookmark key sites, and teach your team what malvertising looks like.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DH Solutions Editorial Team
Westland, MI - Serving Southeast Michigan
The DH Solutions Editorial Team is a collective of certified IT strategists and security specialists dedicated to the resilience of Southeast Michigan's business ecosystem. Our roots are in Fortinet - we built DH Solutions on a foundation of elite network security as a Fortinet Integrator, giving our clients enterprise-grade firewall and threat protection that most small businesses never thought they could access.
Our holistic approach is further powered by industry-leading expertise in CompTIA (Security+, Network+, A+), ISC2, and Ubiquiti platforms. Headquartered in Westland, we specialize in high-stakes compliance and proactive issue resolution for the Healthcare, Legal, and Manufacturing sectors across Metro Detroit. We believe that strong Security is the foundation of smarter IT, and our mission is to ensure every client has the confidence to grow, thrive, and lead in an increasingly digital world.
Republished with Permission from The Technology Press
