A judge has dismissed a class action case that had accused Google of profiting from a Google Play gift card scam.
US District Judge Beth Labson Freeman threw out the lawsuit arguing that Google did not cause the losses that the plaintiff suffered, nor did it know it was receiving stolen funds.
This is one lawsuit that the tech multinational can tick off its list as it wrangles with the Department of Justice over its search monopoly.
What Was the Lawsuit About?
The proposed class action lawsuit was being brought by Judy May, who lost $1,000 in April 2021 in a Google Play gift card scam.
Reuters explains that the plaintiff was contacted by someone she thought was a relative. They then directed her to contact a supposed government agent, and this fraudster then told her that “she was eligible for federal grant money if she bought Google Play gift cards.”
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May then gave the codes from the cards to the scammer to cover what she was told were upfront costs. The scammers then used these codes to make purchases.
The case hinged on the accusation that Google should have had warnings on the packaging of the gift cards about scams and “that anyone demanding payment with the cards was a scammer.”
Not Liable
However, the judge ruled that Google was not liable for the losses and was also completely within its rights to keep the commission on the purchases that the scammers had made.
The judge did add, though, that the plaintiff could refile her lawsuit, but she dismissed a claim for triple damages.
How to Avoid Gift Card Scams
The Federal Trade Commission has a detailed page on gift card scams and states: “No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them.”
It adds that scammers might also pose as a family member with an emergency, tech support, utility company, or even say that you have won a prize.
It shares: “Gift cards are for gifts. Only gifts. Not for payments. Never buy a gift card because someone tells you to buy one and give them the numbers.”
