The FBI is warning US consumers that cybercriminals are placing ads in search engine results that impersonate well-known brands, in an attempt to spread ransomware and steal financial information.
In a public service announcement issued this week, the FBI describes how cybercriminals are purchasing ads that show up at the very top of search engine results, often purporting to link to a legitimate company's website.
However, anyone clicking on the link is instead taken to a lookalike page that may appear identical, but is in fact designed to phish for login credentials and financial details, or even trick the unwary into downloading ransomware.