Using Google Suggest To See If A Company Is A Scam

from the neat-tricks dept

Thu, Oct 2nd 2008 3:12pm — Mike Masnick

Jeremy Wagstaff has a neat little trick to determine if a company contacting him is likely to be a "scam" of some sort. He just types the name into the Google search bar in Firefox and lets the "Google Suggest" feature take over. Google Suggest, of course, tries to suggest what you might be searching for based on the most common searches done on what you've already started typing in. For some companies, Wagstaff has noted that many of the top results are the name of the company and "scam" or something equally questionable. It's a neat trick, though, as Wagstaff wonders, how long will it be until those companies hire "media specialists" to come up with ways to scrub the Google Suggest results. In the meantime, I'm curious when Google will end up getting sued for such a suggestion. You can bet that some company will try to twist Google Suggest into saying that Google is responsible for the implication from the suggestions, rather than the collection of Google users and their searches.

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Filed Under: google suggest, scams
Companies: google

26 Comments

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Lucretious, 2 Oct 2008 @ 3:15pm

actually I use a similar method for finding whether other gamers are having similar tech and bug issues with a particular game that I have. It is quite handy.
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Oct 2008 @ 3:39pm

Wow. I always just type into google "[company] scam."
usually get a page of results.
Think I could patent this idea?
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Jeff, 2 Oct 2008 @ 4:05pm

Finally Fast!!!
Soon as I saw the commercial, I did a search... Asecentive is found to be phishing and spyware crap. I did my research.

I even called up the number on the FinallyFast commercial 3 different times, asked them questions, and they were completely loony. They thought I was some idiot. I even recorded their calls for convenience.

Call #1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWF_U6fmmMs
Call #2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NapxF5SNiM0
Call #3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQBsi-UT7zA

Enjoy!
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Johnny Canada, 2 Oct 2008 @ 4:29pm

Been doing just that for years "Google is Your Friend" :)
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mischab1, 2 Oct 2008 @ 5:22pm

That will tell you if a lot of google users are asking if the company is a scam, not if the company is actually a scam.

On the other hand, if a lot of people are asking...
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Mike Davis, 2 Oct 2008 @ 6:00pm

google's new motto
"Google : Be as smart as you want to be!"
or
Thank god for google!

i sent them as freely given ideas, hope they use em'
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joshua, 2 Oct 2008 @ 6:18pm

you know what works?

typing virtually anything into google and pressing enter.

google isn't quite as sharp as it used to be, but it's still incredible how efficient and "usable" google makes the internet.
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Oct 2008 @ 8:29pm

I hope the judge knows what is going on
"You can bet that some company will try to twist Google Suggest into saying that Google is responsible for the implication from the suggestions"

Yes, because we can not tolerate the people having a tool which provides facts upon which informed decisions can be made.
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opit, 2 Oct 2008 @ 8:46pm

Safety reading
I have Web of Trust loaded in Firefox. If I do a search to figure out what a given URL represents, I also get a reliability reading without any added typing. You can select alternate search engines and are still set up.
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Ppitstop, 3 Oct 2008 @ 2:53am

Information only
Neat idea only slight flaw is that I didn't think all information on the internet was accurate and if enough people search for "Canada does not exist" google suggest will suggest it.

Far do some actual fact based research I think?
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Scott Lithgow, 3 Oct 2008 @ 2:56am

Cut n Paste
I think half the world uses this to find its info.

1 person creates content 100 people cut n paste it and call it there own.
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Yakko Warner, 3 Oct 2008 @ 7:28am

Does it work?
Seems like it wouldn't find out if a company *is* a scam, but just find out if enough other people are trying to find out *if* the company is a scam, no?
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Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased), 3 Oct 2008 @ 9:06am

Mailing scams
I have received mailings stating that I won a free trip to here or there and to call a number. I have only punched in the phone number into the Google search bar and it will return a scam alert website with a description of the scam and different comments from the scammed or the scammer explaining or protecting the scam. Great reads.
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Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased), 3 Oct 2008 @ 9:08am

Re: Mailing scams
Forgot to say that I have also entered in numbers that show up on the scam alert site that are actually pointed out to not be a scam.
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Sean, 4 Oct 2008 @ 11:30am

Well this isn't really anything new, I've been using Google to clarify a .exe in task manager or a file extension for as long as I can remember - it looks like this guy just found a different way. I just rely on my natural wit to detect if something is a scam, it's not too hard.

"Hi I am Bank of America! Need password and username! Thnx!"

"Hi, this is mom, I'm lost in Nigeria, need monies, send it to this paypal account. Soccermom75677@paypal.com"

It isn't hard to see scams...
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adel, 9 Oct 2008 @ 9:31pm

inqiury
How do i know that this one name company is not scammer?

this the name shengzhen Xiyang Trading Co.,Ltd please let me know before we going to get order from them.thanks

Mrs Jenks
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roger mill, 20 Mar 2009 @ 7:39pm

Best places to play, best strategies to win. Player ratings & reviews of top online casinos & pokers with highest payouts & biggest bonuses.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
video to dvd service, 2 Jul 2009 @ 2:11am

@ Adel
Just like what Anonymous Coward have posted, you just type [Company Name] Scam on google's search engine and scan for the results. Then again, you'd better ask his permission if he already had that idea patented. *lol*

Google is still the best, no doubt about that.
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Dorothy Weidner, 30 Jun 2010 @ 11:22am

Child Shield USA, in Tucson AZ
I have been trying to find out if this company is a scam. They ae with the BBB, have a A+ rating eith Chamber of commmerce. Yet, nobody in Tucson has heard of them.
Is anyone familar with them?????

Please let me know.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Dorothy Weidner, 30 Jun 2010 @ 11:23am

Child Shield USA, in Tucson AZ
I have been trying to find out if this company is a scam. They ae with the BBB, have a A+ rating eith Chamber of commmerce. Yet, nobody in Tucson has heard of them.
Is anyone familar with them?????

Please let me know.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Bobby Fetherolf, 27 Nov 2010 @ 4:12pm

Excellent company
Hi Dorothy. This company is probably the most "true" and "real" home business out there. My wife and I are about to start with them in a few weeks. They immediately called us after our initial online submission, and not with forceful sales or anything. Instead they were as helpful as could be, answering every question we had and sent out a free 20-page informational package within days. I would suggest you join them if you are seriously interested in starting a home business.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Bobby F (profile), 10 Feb 2011 @ 7:50am

#1 home business for a reason
Just wanted to comment on Child Shield one more time. I have now officially become an affiliate and have never been so excited to belong to a company before as I am now. Excellent program. Great customer service. Unmatched 20-year record. And as a business opportunity, there is NO commission structure that compares. Through the roof. I would love to get more people on board either as teammates in this venture or as customers who realize their children truly deserve this protection. My personal site is www.ChildShieldPA.org and my direct e-mail is admin@ChildShieldPA.org. Come join me in this life-changing opportunity!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Bobby F (profile), 10 Feb 2011 @ 1:32pm

#1 home business for a reason
Just wanted to comment on Child Shield one more time. I have now officially become an affiliate and have never been so excited to belong to a company before as I am now. Excellent program. Great customer service. Unmatched 20-year record. And as a business opportunity, there is NO commission structure that compares. Through the roof. I would love to get more people on board either as teammates in this venture or as customers who realize their children truly deserve this protection. My personal site is www.ChildShieldPA.org and my direct e-mail is admin@ChildShieldPA.org. Come join me in this life-changing opportunity!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Mahaboobkhan, 24 Feb 2011 @ 9:28am

plese tell me the company scam or not
Hi,
i have been trying to find out if this company is a scam. has heard of them.
Is anyone familar with them?????

Please let me know.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
finallyfast.com scam, 21 Apr 2011 @ 4:55am

finally fast scam
Don�t download finally fast . Programs that say they speed up your computer are bogus. Plus, my WOT addon for Firefox won�t allow me to enter the site, so many people don�t trust it, and for good reason.

Finally Fast Scam
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jonzy, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:12am

I want to know if bootypill.com is a scam or not
[ link to this | view in thread ]