Google Faces Lawsuit Over $5 Million Crypto Scam
Vaca's lawsuit, now filed in California, seeks at least $5 million in damages for her financial loss, emotional distress, and the impact on her real estate business.
Google is being sued by Maria Vaca, a Florida resident who claims she lost $5 million due to a fraudulent cryptocurrency app, Yobit Pro, available on the Google Play Store. The lawsuit alleges that Google took three months to remove the app despite receiving a complaint from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). During this time, at least five other users also fell victim to the scam, according to a news Report by The Block.
Between February and July 2023, Vaca invested about $4.6 million in cryptocurrency through Yobit Pro. The app initially showed a balance of $7 million, but when Vaca tried to withdraw her funds, she was told she needed to pay an additional $500,000 for taxes. Despite complying, the app demanded another $2 million. When Vaca refused, she received threatening messages on WhatsApp from the scammers.
The CFPB forwarded Vaca’s complaint to Google, but the app remained on the Play Store for another three months. Vaca's lawsuit, now filed in California, seeks at least $5 million in damages for her financial loss, emotional distress, and the impact on her real estate business.
The lawsuit also claims that around 12,759 other users installed Yobit Pro, with at least five experiencing similar issues. Google has previously addressed fraudulent crypto apps, filing a lawsuit in April against developers responsible for 87 scam apps affecting 100,000 users. However, Yobit Pro was not specifically mentioned in that case.
