In today’s digital landscape, scams proliferate at an alarming rate, with millions of people falling victim to various schemes each year. While many are familiar with scam phone calls, there’s a growing threat from fraudulent websites—especially those impersonating well-known services like Disney+. Recent investigations by Malwarebytes uncovered a troubling trend: fake Disney+ sites ranking highly in Google search results, making them especially dangerous for users who rely on search engines rather than manually typing URLs.
These counterfeit websites often present a convincing front, using misleading URLs and familiar Disney+ branding. Users searching for Disney+ might land on a phony page that presents a security warning—a fake Microsoft “security scan” alerting them to numerous threats like trojans and spyware. The intention is to frighten users into taking immediate action, typically by calling a fraudulent Microsoft support number displayed on the page.
While tech-savvy individuals might recognize these as scams, less experienced users, such as children or older adults, may be more susceptible and may inadvertently call the provided number. Once connected with a scammer, victims can find themselves led through a “remote login session,” during which the scammer installs malware or attempts to extract money directly.
This latest wave of scams illustrates how fraudsters are increasingly infiltrating relevant search results, expanding their reach to millions of potential victims. It’s worth noting that even seasoned web users are not immune; a recent experience almost led to falling for a fake online shoe store, which also ranked prominently in search results.
Google continually strives to eliminate fake and fraudulent content from its search engine, as maintaining a reputable platform is in its best interest. However, the vastness of the web means that automated tools often miss clever scammers who exploit gaps in the system or simply pay for advertising to bypass Google’s safeguards. Similarly, while Microsoft offers effective security tools for Windows, legitimate alerts won’t suddenly accuse users of serious offenses or provide dubious contact numbers.
