Impersonating app website uses AI-generated content to outrank legitimate site and serve malicious downloads
An impersonating website reportedly uses an app's branding, graphics, and original content, along with large amounts of AI-generated content and blog posts, to outrank the legitimate app's website in search results. This fraudulent site then serves ads leading users to deceptive redirects and malicious downloads.
According to a Reddit user, someone created a website impersonating their app, using the app’s name, branding, graphics, and original website content. The impersonating site is also publishing large amounts of fully AI-generated content and blog posts targeting searches related to the app. This fraudulent website is reportedly outranking the legitimate website for searches related to the app, and Google’s AI-generated search results are also directing users to it. The impersonators registered a domain using the same app name with a different TLD, making it easier for users to mistake it for an official website. The fraudulent site uses ads that lead users through deceptive redirects and malicious downloads. The app owner has submitted reports to Google and Microsoft, including spam, malware, and search-quality reports, as well as DMCA and other abuse reports, and contacted the domain registrar, but has not seen resolution.