SAN DIEGO — A phishing scam targeting Gmail or Google account users is raising alarm among cybersecurity experts. The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), a national nonprofit based in San Diego, shared information about this "Gmail scam," which uses deceptive messages designed to look like legitimate Google communications.
"It looks like it's legitimate and really from Google; however, some of the text and links have been altered, making it a malicious message," said Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC)
The scam is particularly concerning because cybercriminals are repurposing legitimate content directly from Google, making these phishing emails nearly indistinguishable from authentic messages.
Nikolas Behar, an adjunct professor of cybersecurity at the University of San Diego, explained the technical aspect of the scam.