Faceplam article: Google and crime
It seems Reuters is confusing two issues here, criminal investigations and spying.
- PRISM and similar programs are an abuse of power and the legal system, abusing human rights.
- Normal criminal investigations are another thing, protecting human rights.
Or are they?
Let first look at the party seeing these increased requests for info, Google. I'm only showing local issues Google related. Yet South Africa is not the only country being targeted in these scams described here, neither are the below a complete list of scams or fraudulent activities on Google. However we know Google's stance on these issues. Numerous people on these forums can testify to Google anti-fraud attitude - or rather lack of it.
I have a brilliant solution for Google to reduce these figures, very simple really: Google should stop willingly and knowingly allow themselves to be used by criminal elements and live a bit more on their stated policies.
To draw it home, let's look at the state of the South African Woza Online program. At the moment we are now seeing an influx of Cameroonian export scams flourishing on Woza Online, the others are already well known - electronics scams,white goods scams, camera scams ... all extensions of the Cameroonian pet scams. Yet these Cameroonian scams are different:
http://chambavillcoltd.wozaonline.co.za/
http://mycocoafoundation.wozaonline.co.za/
http://insectsville.wozaonline.co.za/
http://agroproduct.wozaonline.co.za/
....
However these types of scams are not unknown.
Why, we even have a spoof of
Camair Co at
http://camair-co.wozaonline.co.za/ (oops, something happened to their fake tracking system on JotForm. 0:-D)
Woza Online - now proudly becoming the Woza Online Fraud portal of Africa!.
(Off topic: I wonder how the DTI's spin doctor Sidwell Medupe will explain this one?
First praising it, then
denying knowledge of it, then
claiming to have had no knowledge of the fraud on it.)
Look at the state of YouTube by searching for "Vectrol Paste" Did you see the number of scams? Yet growing by the day, no wonder Google is getting more requests from law enforcement investigating crimes - that is what they are supposed to be doing under these circumstance if there are victims. Duh!
Listen to this lovely Cameroonian accent:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcNRIt-zDjs.
If I dare search for "Vectrol paste" in Google's search page, I get scams popping up in Adwords. Ditto "SSD Solution" - the only result should be as an abbreviation for
Solid
State
Disk Solution.
Yet these claimed chemicals have never existed and are no more than snake oil. Google knows this. This is not a bad business practice or like - this is fraud, undistilled fraud. Google has been informed. Even if they didn't know, they could have quickly checked and known by now, but no. Yet people are turning into victims. Investigations follows, the result being more requests for info on certain Google users. Duh!
Considering these are so easy to find, it's a good measure of Google's willingness to protect the consumer. Bottom line, they don't, we are there cash cows for their marketing methods. Search for Vectrol Paste leads to results where they have a vested interested in the user arriving, Youtube or adword sponsored sites. Even Google+ profiles. The dubious are turned into victims that to the "do not be evil" Google. Hah!
Maybe Google should ask themselves how fraud leads to a loss of privacy and not claim to be the privacy advocates. They are most definitely not. Currently they are playing off PRISM. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Maybe that is also why they are seeing more requests for data in criminal cases: Google is currently
the African criminal's friend! They could have been such a good company based upon their products if they were only willing to use it themselves. Ironical really.
Related, I just stumbled upon this searching for something shown above: Incredible!!!
http://www.smallbusinessconnect.co.za/news/copycat-site-fraud-rise.html
Criminals are targeting Woza Online website owners who sell goods online by copying their sites and duping consumers by making them believe that they are buying from a legitimate business.
Where do they catch these reporters?
What a "face palm mistake"! (@RPM: we need a facepalm smiley please) It should read:
Criminals on Woza Online are targeting website owners who sell goods online by copying their sites and duping consumers by making them believe that they are buying from a legitimate business.
Big difference!!
Then there are the other types of online fraud where Google's services are being used. Phishing jumps to mind rather quickly.
No wonder the requests for info in crime incidents has gone up - crime is going up as Google's services is a prime destination for the crime perpetrators. Simple really - nothing sinister here.
In fairness to Reuters and the original article, these issues are indirectly linked. Since the PRISM program was exposed, crime has been flourishing as ordinary citizens, a tad neurotic, are now listening to spin doctors at corporates regarding privacy while privacy is in fact now being abused more than ever by criminals in the wake of the anti-PRISM tsunami to abuse privacy (and rights). Sad. It's not only the US economic issues that blows over to the rest of the world ... but that is a story in itself for a forthcoming blog.
