Florida Woman Sues Google Over $5 Million Loss via Crypto App

Maria Vaca, a Florida resident, has filed a lawsuit against Google seeking compensation for over $5 million lost through a fraudulent crypto application available on the Google Play store. This was reported by The Block.

From February to July 2023, Vaca invested approximately $4.6 million in digital assets through the Yobit Pro application. When the app displayed a balance of $7 million, Vaca attempted to withdraw the funds.

In response, she received a message requiring her to pay $500,000 in “taxes.” After paying the amount, she was asked for an additional $2 million.

When Vaca refused to transfer the additional ransom, she received “[…] messages on WhatsApp from unknown cybercriminals threatening to kill her if she did not make the deposit.”

Subsequently, she contacted law enforcement and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which immediately forwarded her complaint to Google. According to the lawsuit, it took the tech giant another three months to remove Yobit Pro from the store.

The American claims she downloaded the app because she believed Google prevented dubious offerings for users.

“As a result of Google’s substantial misrepresentations and other fraudulent actions, Ms. Vaca has suffered significant harm, including, but not limited to, financial losses exceeding $5 million, severe emotional and psychological distress, and the loss of a real estate business she had been trying to build for most of her adult life,” the lawsuit states.

The complaint notes that approximately 12,760 Android users allegedly installed Yobit Pro via Google Play, with at least five encountering similar situations.

In April, Google’s parent company filed a lawsuit against two Chinese nationals involved in distributing and promoting fraudulent applications.