- Google has faced a $5 million lawsuit over a malicious cryptocurrency wallet app on its Play Store
- Maria Vaca has claimed the app drained her $5 million in digital assets
- Vaca has sued Google for allegedly allowing the fraudulent app on its platform
Google is facing a $5 million lawsuit after a cryptocurrency wallet app downloaded from its Play Store turned out to be malicious, leading to the loss of substantial holdings. The plaintiff, Maria Vaca, claims that she lost $5 million worth of digital assets when she downloaded what she believed to be a legitimate wallet application from the Play Store. However, it turned out to be a fake wallet which drained her funds, leading to Vaca suing Google for allowing it to be hosted in the store.
The Plaintiff Becomes the Defendant
Vaca has filed a lawsuit against Google in a California state court, accusing the tech giant of negligence for allowing the malicious app to be available on its platform. The case raises important questions about Google’s responsibility in protecting its users from fraudulent applications, a concern that has grown as similar incidents have become increasingly common.
This isn’t the first time Google has encountered issues with crypto scams on its Play Store, although history has seen it on the other side of the fence: in April, the company took legal action against multiple fraudulent crypto apps and exchanges that allegedly scammed over 100,000 people globally.
These apps reportedly used fake identities and misleading information to evade Google’s security measures, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by malicious software in the cryptocurrency sector.
Case Hinges on Google’s Actions
Legal analysts believe the outcome of Vaca’s case will hinge on whether Google was aware of the app’s fraudulent nature and the duration it remained available for download. According to law.com, Andrew Dressel, a prominent crypto litigator, noted that the case’s success would likely depend on proving Google’s knowledge of the app’s malicious intent and its subsequent actions.
Vaca’s attorney, Chris Vernon, emphasized that this case is part of a broader trend in cryptocurrency thefts, underscoring the need for more rigorous app monitoring and enhanced regulatory oversight. As the digital economy continues to expand, he argues, the responsibility of tech companies like Google to protect users from such threats is becoming increasingly critical.
Google’s Play Store has been targeted many times in the past by crypto crooks, right back to 2019 when a fake Trezor app appeared and mimicked the authentic app. The lawsuit is another reminder to only follow links to downloads provided by the companies behind them and not to rely on Internet or app store searches.
